‘Zambomba’ (membranophone) for children

Resonance chamber made of fired clay with a potter´s wheel, cured leather and hand-crafted other elements which make up a zambomba.

The resonance chamber could be a centreboard (pot) from the household items which has been reused as a zambomba. It has a wide mouth (aperture) with a rim, open-sided neck. The body tends to be globular and narrows at the bottom, flat, hollowed base. A sheepskin is placed over the mouth and tied on with string made of plant fibre. The skin must be cured previously.

Before inserting the stick the reed is cut with a penknife leaving a node at each end (the bottom and the top) so that it doesn´t split. Then the reed is placed on the sheepskin to centre it and is turned upside down so as to touch the slit made on the reed, near the leaf nodule, and a strong pin is pushed through the reed, folding the tips up in a semicircle and, above the node, the reed is tied to the sheepskin with cotton.

Then the skin is tied to the pot with esparto or plant fibre. While two or three people stretch the sheepskin with their hands, it is tied to the pot with plant fibre or string. A knot is tied and the other end of the string is introduced and the string is gradually tensed. Once the zambomba is finished the skin is left to dry, and sometimes it is rubbed with garlic to make it tense.

Traditionally, zambombas have been used as an instrument associated with Christmas, the butchering festival or the harvest. This particular example is smaller so that children can use it.