HEAR: Rwangyezi of Ndere Troupe playing the thumb piano

Simple. How else would one define the thumb piano at first sight? Its melodic sound catches the ear like metal sticks on the magnet, writes Emmanuel Ssejjengo.

It is only Africa that can lay a claim on it. It is believed the instrument originated from the inhabitants of Congo Forest, who were fruit gatherers and hunters. Their survival was based on travelling for long distances. In the course of their movements, only light instruments like the thumb piano were used for entertainment. “From the Congo Forest, the instrument spread first southwards, then westwards,” explains Steven Rwangyezi, the director of Ndere Troupe, a local drama group.

The thumb piano crossed into Uganda, where it found a new home. It is not clear which tribe in Uganda “discovered” the piano.

The story that the Batwa in Western Uganda bborrowed it from Congo may be true. They call it eicembe. Other tribes seem to have borrowed the same phonetics. The Lwo call it okeme; the Banyankole akaechebe and the Bakonjo likembe. Being closer to Congo Forest, the Batwa might have introduced it to other Ugandan ethnic groups.

However, the Alur say the thumb piano came through West Nile. To them, the instrument was not a cultural item, but an instrument of convenience. The Alur came from their homes to work at the railway line that was being built by the Imperial British East African Company during colonial days. “As they moved southwards, they played it to facilitate their movement,” says Rwangyezi. The Baganda concur with the Alur, and this is why they call it akadongo ka’baluulu (the instrument of the Alur).

It is not hard to make a thumb piano. All you need is a wooden sound box, a ridge and metallic keys. You then make three holes for resonating sound on the sound box and a ridge on which to lay the keys at the top of the box. The piano is played with the fingers.

The instrument is held in both palms, with thumbs on the metallic keys. One finger plays at the hole at the back of the sound box. This regulates the sound as it closes and opens. Two fingers play at the two other holes on top of the box. The instrument is tuned with an upward and downward movement of the keys.

The thumb piano was rarely used in an orchestra. But Ndere Troupe included it in an African percussion, where there is a set of seven different thumb pianos of four varying sizes.

One plays base, another tenor, a third alto and the fourth soprano. Cultures associated with story telling use it while telling stories.

Besides, Rwangyezi adds, the piano is also an instrument of meditation. This gives it a spiritual dimension. You could play as you are carried away in deep thoughts. This, however, may often lead one to commit suicide.

To avoid hurting your fingers, the piano should be made user-friendly.

This can be done by replacing the hard metallic keys with soft-touch keys. Rwangyezi says the piano can be adjusted to produce quality sound. Traditional thumb pianos have pentatonic (traditionally have five notes). The original thumb piano could not have had more than five notes.

But currently, some even have seven notes. Nevertheless, this instrument, which symbolises African identity, will continue to improve in quality.