African-style pluriarc (compound musical bow): medium-small

The pluriarc (from a Latin compound meaning "many arcs or bows") consists of several musical bows, usually of bamboo or wood, attached to a wooden or gourd resonator; however, our version features a gourd resonator into which are inserted six bamboo necks fitted with monofilament strings.

Dimensions: 24 1/2" h., 12" gourd diameter

Pluriarcs, which typically are used to accompany praise songs, are found in Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Namibia, and in other countries of West, Central, and East Africa under a variety of local names. The instrument once was made and played by African-descended peoples in various locales in the Americas, notably the agwado of the Aluku people of the South American nation of Suriname.

To play, the pluriarc is held horizontally, with its arms pointing away from the body, and its strings plucked with the fingers and thumbs of both hands. Each of the strings is tuned individually by sliding the string nooses along the shafts -- up to lower the pitch, down to raise it.

The following YouTube videos feature the instrument in play: ; "Musique traditionelle du Congo"; Musical Traditions in Mali/Afel Bocoum/I Sang a Lot for Mali" (the ndan featured at end of video); "Bushman Musical Instrument"; "Musique Primitive"; "Gut pluriarc with 3 men's voices"