Adungu
Encyclopedia
The adungu is a 9-string arched harp
of the Alur people
of northwestern Uganda
. The adungu may be played alone (in which case the soloist often sings as they play the adungu) or in an ensemble. The adungu is but one of many arched harps found in sub-Saharan Africa
. The adungu may be played for diverse purposes including personal pleasure, nightclub and concert music, therapy of the mentally ill, and Christian worship.
Writing in The New York Times (April 8, 2006) about a cross-cultural concert given by the pipa
virtuoso Wu Man
, the critic Allan Kozinn noted that: "Her collaborators included James Makubuya, a Ugandan performer on the harplike adungu...."
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
of the Alur people
Alur people
Alur are an ethnic group who live mainly in the Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua districts in northwestern Uganda, but also in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Lake Albert. They are part of the larger Luo group, and their language is closely related to Acholi...
of northwestern Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. The adungu may be played alone (in which case the soloist often sings as they play the adungu) or in an ensemble. The adungu is but one of many arched harps found in sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
. The adungu may be played for diverse purposes including personal pleasure, nightclub and concert music, therapy of the mentally ill, and Christian worship.
Writing in The New York Times (April 8, 2006) about a cross-cultural concert given by the pipa
Pipa
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments . Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26...
virtuoso Wu Man
Wu Man
Wu Man is a Chinese pipa virtuoso and composer. Described as "the artist most responsible for bring the pipa to the Western World" by the Los Angeles Times, US-based, Chinese-born musician Wu Man has carved out a career creating and fostering projects that give this ancient Chinese instrument a...
, the critic Allan Kozinn noted that: "Her collaborators included James Makubuya, a Ugandan performer on the harplike adungu...."