Zimbabwe
Shona

Matamba fruit shells, mupfuti bark fiber, hota plant seeds, wood
Mid-Late 20th Century
Length: 10.5 in; Width: 6 in; Depth: 2.25 in
Idiophone – Struck Indirectly – Shaken -Rattle Adornment

The magagada, also called magahvu and mirara, are leg-rattle (adornment) idiophones used by Shona dancers and musicians in Zimbabwe. They are used in any musical situation that features dancing but serve more to augment the movements of the dancer, than as a musical enhancement.  Thus, when danced they dovetail into to rhythms of the singing accompanied by drums, flutes and/or clappers.

One magagada rattle is tied just below the knee on each of the dancer’s legs.  Each magagada consists of three rows of four or five dried matamba fruit shells filled with hota plant seeds.  A hole is drilled through the top and bottom of the matamba shell.  Once the seeds are put into the shells, a wooden rod is inserted into each of the shells making a row. Each of the three rows are then tied together at each end with braided mupfuti bark fiber.  The rattles are then tied to the dancer’s legs with additional braided fiber rope.

Resource:  magagada · Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection · Grinnell College Libraries