Eastern Angola
Chokwe

Wood, metal
Early-Mid 20th Century
Length: 9.5 in; Width: 7.125 in; Depth: 2 in
Idiophones – Lamellophones – Plucked

This ‘mucapata’ is played by the Chokwe people of eastern Angola who live within the Bantu language zone. It has slightly concave sides with an upward-bent shape of the head portion. The bottom metal rattle rings (7) called ‘mayuku,’ are on a rod fixed in the bottom of the hollow wooden sound box. There are 21 metal keys and incised geometric designs on the top and bottom of the front. The top design is a thin horizontal band, and the bottom is larger, split into left and right design fields. The metal bars that raise the keys and hold them down are also very stylized, with finial ends.