Building Kalimbas and Mbiras with your Students

Whether in elementary, middle, or high school, it is vital for teachers to incorporate hands-on, tactile activities into our classrooms. It is equally important to find ways to incorporate music in our instruction. Both hands-on and music-related activities have the capacity to contribute to social emotional learning, mindfulness, and culturally responsive teaching. One hands-on activity that can bring lightness, craft, music and Zimbabwean history and culture to the classroom is the building of kalimbas. This is a page of resources on building kalimbas and some further information about the difference between kalimbas and mbiras.

What is the difference between a kalimba and a mbira? A short article with videos that explain the differences between the two instruments.

Google Doodle celebrates Mbiras. In May 2020, Google produced a Doodle to celebrate Mbiras that includes an online interactive game, a mini-documentary, an interactive story map, an online Mbira that students can play, and some sound clips. Access it here.

How to play the Kalimba and Mbira, a video that demonstrates the basics.

The history of the kalimba: a short video that explains its origins, movements, and significance.

Mbira in Shona culture: the mbira contextualized as a spiritual tool, and a short history of its function, role, and repression during colonial rule. The site includes a full description of how to play and tune the mbira and an online store.

Build a kalimba: order a kalimba-building kit here.

How to make a kalimba using the kit: watch our program administrator, Natasha Patel, demonstrate the making of the kit.