The bell is an idiophone that is usually made from a metal sheath with a loose ball inside that makes the bell ring when shaken. The bell is a hollow instrument whose edges produce the loudest vibrations, this is in contrast to the gong where the loudest sounds occur in the centre. So as not to reduce the vibrations, the best method of use is to hold the bell by the centre, where it barely vibrates. It can be held by a handle, hung by a strap or by strings threaded through the existing perforated holes. To make the bell, the metal is hammered into a round or sometimes cylindrical form and provided with small sound holes and/or a narrow slit too small for the ball to slip out.
Many versions of this instrument exist throughout the Congo and their dimensions vary accordingly. Small bells are often fastened together and serve as an ankle rattler, tied to dancers’ ankles or legs. Larger bells are used as individual instruments and are not tied together. Bells are rarely used by soloists (though possibly in solo singing), but are used in a larger ensemble of singers and instruments.
This type of instrument is used in recordings of our sound archives made with the Congolese peoples mentioned hereafter where it appears with the following vernacular names:
Babonge (Boa), Bitsiatsia (Vili), Bozomu (Bali), Ekonga (Kouyou), Elepo (Mongo), Elikwacha (Nande), Elondja (Mongo), Engbombu (Mangbetu), Engbwali (Mangbetu, Mangbetu), Esyonzoga (Nande), Gbao (Ng'bandi), Hanga (Leele, Leele), Ingengele (Mongo), Kikolobo (Luba), Malephu (Leele), Malua (Boma), Manjanju (Manjwanju) (Leele), Mayendjo (Leele), Mbeng (Mbunda), Mbili (Yogo), Mokumbe (Binza), Nekako (Babudu), Nenbongbo (Medje), Nengbongbo (Mayogo), Ngara (Alur), Ngbiri (Ndo), Ngiri ngiri (Pygmées), Ngong (Leele), Njeke (Pygmées), Npwopwo (Mangbetu), Pwopowo (Mamvu), Tenda (Pende), Tshiko (Sala Mpasu), Ungbongbo (Pygmées), Untolo (Bali)
Discography:
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