Kora Research Paper

903 Words2 Pages

This project discusses The Kora, a popular African harp like instrument. The Kora is played in places like Gambia, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and more. It is made from calabash gourd in half and partially covered with cow skin. The Kora’s features contain twenty one strings, a hardwood neck, a sound hole, an iron ring that the strings are attached to, calabash gourd, and more. The strings on the Kora are made from fishing lines. Everything the African people used to make the kora out of was from creativity because in Africa they did not have many things to make a simple instrument, so they had to improvise.
The Kora is the highest developed string instrument in Africa, it is very unique because it was made only by the things that they had. The Kora is played in events including oral traditions, praise singing, and other important events. It became popular through griots who …show more content…

Although there is one instrument from a different culture that is kind of similar in some ways, that instrument is the Veena. The Veena is a handmade instrument just like the Kora. It is also a string instrument, and it is played the same way as the Kora is played with the performer sitting down with his legs crossed and the instrument on his or her lap, while the fingers of the right hand are used to pluck and twang the strings which is also the same as the Kora. The stem of the Kora and The Veena are both made of wood with the stem attached to the head, they are almost the same shape instrument although, the Kora is larger than the Veena. Both instruments are very popular in their cultures, in India the Veena is one of the most played instruments, and in Africa the Kora is also very popular and was passed down through many generations from griots. Also in India the Veena is the oldest instrument to be made and in Africa The Kora is also a very old instrument that got passed down for many

Open Document