Kalimba is a Lovely Collaboration Between Black and White

While the name “Kalimba” is one of the African names for one of the traditional African instruments, the modern kalimba owes a lot to a white man: Hugh Tracey.

Hugh Tracey became entranced by traditional African music. He traveled tens of thousands of miles around Africa, recording and documenting traditional African music. He also collected African instruments, and became something of an expert of the various instrument designs made by people across Africa.

Hugh Tracey utilized the design choices of several different traditional African instruments, but also made his own innovations, such as the western tuning and note layout.

So, when you see the modern Chinese-made kalimbas, remember the essential collaboration between African ingenuity and the transplanted Englishman, Hugh Tracey.

Learn more about the history of the kalimba.