UEDIN ยท 0354
Ntongoli or endongo (bowl lyre)
Description
Technical description: Built out of wooden arms and yoke, along with bowl (sound table) of monitor lizard skin laced to cow or goat skin patch on underside. While Ganda and Soga lyres tend not to have bridges, this instrument does have a bridge of wood affixed to a spot about near the peg - this is most likely a later addition. The two arms pierce the covering of the resonating bowl, but not the bowl itself. The strings pierce the covering at the point of entry below the bridge and then re-emerge through the bottom end of the bowl at their point of convergence, and are tied on the outside with a peg; a sixth string is tied to the yoke but is not attached at the lower end, and does not have a notch provided for it on the bridge as the other five do. Lacing style (colour and density) and patch shape suggest Ganda or Soga origin (Uganda). In Bantu lyres, the arms tend to form a V, as with this instrument. Yoke length 335; length of resonating chamber 185; width of resonating chamber 220. Repair History: Bridge a later (non-African) addition. Performance technique: The endongo can be played either sitting or standing. To play while sitting, the performer balances the bowl of the lyre between the legs, tilting the strings to the left. Holding the left arm of the lyre in the left hand, the performer plucks with the nearest three strings with the thumb, middle, and ring fingers. The right hand remains behind the rest of the strings, plucking with the strings of that hand. The little finger of the right hand can either hook around the right arm of the lyre or remain free for greater movement in plucking. The performer can also put a strap around the shoulders and hook it on the instrument, much like a guitar, in order to play the instrument while standing. Among the Ganda, the endongo plays a leading part in larger instrumental ensembles, next to spike tube lutes, a notched flute, and a drum. However, it is primarily used for song accompaniment. Strings are of similar length, tuned in an order to fit the convenience of the player. Historical sources and dispersal: This ntongoli or endongo is a type of lyre that originated with either the Ganda or Soga of Uganda. It belongs to a family of East African bowl lyres located among the Bantu groups that live around Lake Victoria. Early versions of the East African lyre appear with the kingdom of the Kush (c.650 BCE-325 CE) and Aksum (c.100-350 CE).
Measurements
Length 460 perpendicular to yoke.