Kenya
Kenyan

Wood, cowhide, fiber rope
Collected in 1920’s
Height: 22.5 inches
Chordophone – Lyre – Plucked

The “litunga,” a traditional Kenya bowl-shape lyre with seven strings, comes from the Luhya (including the Bukusu subgroup) community in Kenya.  It has seven strings. Other varieties of litungu are used by the Kurya and Kisii ethnic groups. The modern “litunga” has eight strings.

This “litunga” has a wooden bowl-shaped body with burn marks on the back.  The open part of the wooden bowl resonator is covered with cowhide and attached by wooden pegs.  The strings are secured on the top by fiber rope.  Museum accession report states it was collected by Quaker missionaries during the early 1920’s.