312.11-5 idiochord (true) tube zithers

Valiha, tube zither. The instrument consists of a length of bamboo including two nodes and a short section beyond each. Eleven strings are split from the wood of the instrument, these are raised by small pieces of wood at each end, and the ends are protected by bands of fibre. One string is broken and there are two long splits in the wood.

Valiha is also the name for a type of bamboo in Madagascar. Modern instruments use bicycle brake cables as strings, with bridges arranged in different positions along the length of the bamboo tube.

Collection Information

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