With a rich, resonant sound mounted on a calabash gourd, this Madagascan instrument is a stick zither chordophone, traditionally with sisal strings and three frets, extra strings strung lengthwise down the sides of the neck and strummed with the fingers to accompany the primary melody played with a bow. Techniques vary, some players combining the frets and plucking technique more like a guitar. Players, known as mpilalao, traditionally used them accompany songs with lengthy poetic storytelling.
In 19th-century Madagasan Highlands society under the Kingdom of Imerina, the jejy voatavo was considered to be an instrument for slaves, and one which only mature men were permitted to play.
Here is the sound of an instrument made by player and maker Ian Summer, inspired by the 1965 Ocora LP Musique Malgache:
Madagascan musician Sammy Andriamalalaharijaona now introduces a variety of instruments from his country. The jejy voatavo comes at the three-minute mark, but it is also worth listening to the other instruments.
And here is the instrument in action alongside other players:
There are also variants of the instrument. The lokanga, an evolved jejy with the sound box carved to resemble a three-stringed fiddle, is popular among the Southern Antandroy and Bara ethnic groups. The simplest form of instrument in this family is the jejy lava (musical bow), believed to have been brought to Madagascar by settlers from mainland Africa.
Jejy voatavo players, known as mpilalao
So then, any more jejy voatavo music? Feel free to suggest examples from any genre, or even film, art, or other contexts in comments below.
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