Liberia
Kru

Gourd, wood, fiber strings, leather
ca. Early 20th Century
Height: 14 inches; Width: 15 inches
Chordophone – Harp – Plucked

This Liberian “Kru harp” is made from a fork-shaped piece of wood (tree branch) that serves as a frame that is mounted/lashed onto a half gourd. This frame forms a triangle with an attached cross bar at the top. Although the shape of this rare musical instrument is reminiscent of a lyre, the fact that the strings are parallel to the cross bar rather than strung from it categorizes it as a harp.  There are eight strings that are plucked. It is played with the open end of the gourd held against the chest to serve as a resonator.

This Kru harp comes from the collection of Glen Rosselot, missionary who was stationed in the mission fields in Shenga, Sierra Leone in the 1920’s.