Handmade Ngoni Ma Instruments
My journey into making these instruments has been filled with magic and the growing of capacity to wield simple tools beautifully, while also re-membering forgotten methods of bringing sound to life.
The aspiration is to work with the elements as they direct me, as their natures allow, striving for beauty and the appropriate dimensions, without becoming overly detail and perfection-oriented that the spirit itself gets crushed in the process.
As such, each instrument is totally unique.
Details
Contact me to order a handmade ngoni ma. I have a variety in stock, or I could develop a custom one for your needs.
Having discovered Jahanara’s artistry in 2018, I am now the happy owner of half a dozen of her instruments, and counting ! … These instruments have allowed me to tap into an ancient form of music that is meditative, transcendental, and also vitally contemporary. Not only are these Ngoni beautiful works of art to be out on display throughout my home, but each instrument is completely unique. Through them, I connect with a pure form of music, as if from some other dimension, and before you know it, they seem to be playing themselves. They certainly helped me stay sane and grounded during pandemic shut downs when there were no other opportunities for live music gigs. These beautiful instruments are for everyone… even total beginners or people who think they aren’t musicians. No prior musical knowledge is necessary to play, as any combination of strings plucked will offer delightful sounds. For the professional, these are world class instruments, and can be easily set up with a variety of transducer pickups for live application, while sounding completely natural.
When I first heard and played Jahanara’s ngonis, I was immediately drawn to their gorgeous sound and natural, hand-crafted appearance. Her instruments are lovingly made, each one a unique piece of art, and special in its own way. Because the instrument is held face to face, like a close embrace, the vibrations are deeply soothing. Ngonis are wonderful to sing with, as their tone blends beautifully with voice. They also sound great with percussion, guitar, flute, and other instruments. It’s such a pleasure to play my ngoni, it only gets better over time!
