Kenya
Kenyan

Wood, reeds, seeds, metal
Early 21st Century
Length: 14.25 in; Width: 8.75 in; Depth: 1 in; Disc diameter: 1.5 in
Idiophone – Struck Indirectly – Shaken -Rattle

This kayamba is a rectangular-shaped raft rattle that comes from Kenya.  It consists of reeds bound together to make two rafts, with seeds called meto, or small beads called chorok or podzo, enclosed between the two rafts. The reeds are supported by wooden frames with burnt geometric designs, built in a rectangular shape.  On two sides of the rattle, four sets of metal discs (metal soda bottle caps that have been hammered flat) are strung in between sections of wood on a metal rod, for sixteen discus altogether. The Kayamba is found throughout Kenya and Tanzania.  They come in two basic shapes, rectangular or hexagonal.  The Kayamba is mainly used to accompany dances and sometimes used to accompany church songs.