Quijongo
Encyclopedia
The quijongo is a type of musical bow
used by the indigenous peoples of Nicaragua
and Costa Rica
. In some countries, such as El Salvador
, it is known as the carimba. It was probably used by the indigenous Chorotega
people of Nicoya
.
It consists of a bow measuring 140cm in length, made of flexible wood with a string (generally metal) stretched between its ends. At a point a third of the way between its ends, a jicara or calabaza
gourd is affixed to serve as a resonator. Sound is created by striking the string with a stick, and the tone can be modulated by covering and uncovering the soundhole in the resonator with the fingers, changing the tone by a fourth or sixth.
Occasionally, it is amplified by placing the base of the bow on a separate box.
Musical bow
The musical bow is a simple string musical instrument most archaic cultures as well as in many in the present day. It consisting of a string supported by a flexible stick 1.5 to 10 feet long, and strung end to end with a taut cord. Usually made out of wood...
used by the indigenous peoples of Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. In some countries, such as El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, it is known as the carimba. It was probably used by the indigenous Chorotega
Chorotega
Chorotega, also known as Mangue, was a language indigenous people of Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The ethnic population number around 10,000. The Chorotega language, which was a member of the Manguean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family, is now extinct...
people of Nicoya
Nicoya
Nicoya is a town in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province, and one of its most important tourist zones. It serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks. According to the 2000 census, the city's population was 13,334—second only to Liberia in the province...
.
It consists of a bow measuring 140cm in length, made of flexible wood with a string (generally metal) stretched between its ends. At a point a third of the way between its ends, a jicara or calabaza
Calabaza
Calabaza is a term that can be applied to a variety of gourds and melons grown throughout the world.-Etymology :The word calabaza is derived from the Persian term for melon . The French term "calabasse", and hence "calabash" is based on the older Spanish...
gourd is affixed to serve as a resonator. Sound is created by striking the string with a stick, and the tone can be modulated by covering and uncovering the soundhole in the resonator with the fingers, changing the tone by a fourth or sixth.
Occasionally, it is amplified by placing the base of the bow on a separate box.
Sources
- Native American Stringed Musical Instruments by Daniel Brinton. in The American antiquarian and oriental journal By Stephen Denison Peet Jameson & Morse, 1897 v. 19, pg 19. http://books.google.com/books?id=sYG6UaW4BkAC