Nobuntu: All About the Mbira
Nobuntu: All About the Mbira
Nobuntu, an African concept meaning humbleness, love, unity, and family, is an all-female acapella group from Zimbabwe. They perform a wide variety of music ranging from their traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro-Jazz to Gospel all while using a variety of instruments.
One of the main instruments they use during their performances is the Mbira. The Mbria are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. These instruments are made of a wooden board with attached staggered metal tines and played by holding the instrument in the hands and plucking the tines with your thumbs, the right forefingers, and sometimes the left forefinger.
The Mbira is often an important instrument at religious ceremonies, weddings, and other social events. In 2020, the “Art of Crafting and playing Mbira, the finger-plucking traditional musical instrument in Malawi and Zimbabwe” was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritageof Humanity. There are a variety of the Mbira instruments including Mbira dzavadzimu, Mbira Nyunga Nyunga, Njari Mbira, Nhare, and Mbira matepe each have a different tune and keys. These instruments are all used in the traditional Zimbabwean musical culture with different meanings.
Representing a new generation of young African women who want to sing, celebrate, and preserve their culture through art, music, and dance, Nobuntu believes that music can be an essential drive for change. This world-renowned acapella group will inspire you to challenge what is normal while sharing the beauty of their African culture.
Catch this unique and distinctive group at The American Theatre on Saturday, October 7 at 8 p.m. and listen as the two-time winner of the Best Imbube Group brings a piece of Zimbabwe to Hampton, Virginia!