Imzad Fiddle

Bow a single horsehair string over a gourd resonator while shaping pitch with the left hand to follow glowing melody paths of the Tuareg modal style.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of Niger, Mali, Algeria. Some forms of this practice carry deep meaning for the communities who keep it; here we describe the play and the craft only, with respect for its roots.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Classical Worlds (about 1000 BCE to 500 CE), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Africa: Sahel, West and Central.