How it began
The timbila are the xylophones of the Chopi communities, who live mainly in the southern part of Inhambane province in southern Mozambique. Their beginnings are not dated, but Portuguese and other written descriptions of the instruments go back as early as 1560. A single instrument or note is called mbila, and timbila is the plural.
How it works
The keys are cut from the highly resonant wood of the slow-growing mwenje, or sneezewort, tree and tuned. Under each wooden slat a calabash resonator is fastened, sealed tightly with beeswax and tempered with the oil of the nkuso fruit. This gives the instrument a rich nasal sound and a characteristic buzz. Instruments are built in different sizes and ranges of pitch so that five to thirty can play together.
What changed first
The instrument made large orchestras possible. Masters and apprentices of all ages play together, and several new pieces are composed each year for weddings and community events. A performance lasts about an hour, with the left and right hands often playing different rhythms. Dancers perform in front of the orchestra and sing texts full of humor and sarcasm that chronicle community events.
Where it stands today
UNESCO proclaimed Chopi timbila a masterpiece of intangible heritage in 2005 and inscribed it on its Representative List in 2008. Most experienced performers are old. Some masters train young musicians and have brought girls into orchestras and dance groups. Deforestation has made the mwenje wood scarce.
