This is another of the musical instruments on display in the "Heavenly Bodies" exhibit, a series about unusual musical instruments, some of which represent human forms. This instrument is a Ngombi, a harp, from Gabon. It is from the mid-20th century. It is a sacred harp central to the ancestor-focused spiritual practice of the Tsogo culture. It is often crowned with a female head, it represents the voice and body of Nyingwan Merge, the Sister of God. When the harp is infused with ancestor voices and animated by the performer’s spirit, it becomes capable of playing itself and is a direct channel for spirits to communicate with the ceremony participants. This is so stunning to see, I started with a close up photograph of just the top of the harp. The full length image is below. What a stunning and beautiful object this is!
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