Kafir harp

Kafir harp
Line drawing of a Kafir harp.
String instrument
Other namesvoč, voj, vẫć, vâj
Classification chordophone
Hornbostel–Sachs classification
  • 311.122
  • 322.11
    (Musical bow with several heterochord strings. Bow attached to resonator by poking through; has to be taken apart to remove the resonator. Alternatively can be called an arched harp if one considers resonator to be attached to bow.)
Related instruments
ennanga

The Kafir harp is a traditional four- or five-stringed arched harp used by the Nuristanis native to the Nuristan Province of northeastern Afghanistan and Lower Chitral District of northwestern Pakistan. It is played during social gatherings, and to accompany epic storytelling or songs of heroic tales.[1]

Similar harps used to be widespread in ancient times throughout Central Asia and India,[2] and this harp possibly entered Afghanistan during the spread of Buddhism across the region[3] but today the waji is not used in any other part of Afghanistan.[4] It has been compared to the ennanga of Uganda and harp designs used in Sumer and ancient Egypt as far back as 3000 BC.[5]

  1. ^ Klimburg, Max (2004). "The Arts of Societies of the Kafirs of the Hindu Kush". Journal of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs. 35 (3). Academic Search Premier EBSCO. doi:10.1080/0306837042000241046.
  2. ^ Slobin, mark (2010). "Central Asian Arts: Music". Universalium. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  3. ^ Ferdinand J. de Hen (2001). Instruments de musique indiens. Edition trilingue français-néerlandais-anglais. Editions Mardaga. pp. 4–. ISBN 9782870097908. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  4. ^ Baily, John. "Afghanistan: II. Regional Styles, 5. Other minority groups". Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  5. ^ Tehuti Research Foundation. "Egyptian Musical Instruments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-09-27. Retrieved 2011-09-27.