What Is A Kalimba?
The kalimba, also known as the thumb piano or mbira, is an African musical instrument created about 3000 years ago. The exact origins of the kalimba are unknown, but it’s thought the first kalimbas were first built along the west coast of Africa near present-day Cameroon (Fleury). The kalimba is simple to assemble, consisting of a wooden soundboard, metal keys called “tines,” a bridge, and a Z-bracket (“What to Look for in a Quality Kalimba”). Kalimbas can vary in size depending on how many keys the player wants to be able to play. Kalimbas typically have 10-15 keys, but some can have up to 34 keys (kalimbatime).