The scraper is an idiophone that is played by scraping a hard (non-resonant) object against another (resonant) object along a series of small notches that are scored into it. Generally the scrapers are made from hardwood, the hard part of a palm branch, bamboo or bone. Scrapers vary in length from 30 to 120 cm. In some examples, on the side of the instrument a groove is included which houses the stick used for scraping. Most of the examples are hollow to generate more volume. The notches run across the groove and are mostly shallow. The scraper is used primarily in ensembles to accompany dance songs, but it is also included for use in rituals.
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:
Bokwasa (Batwa, Bolia, Boyela, Ekonda, Ipanga, Mongo, Nkundu, Pygmées, Twa, Watsi), Bompwasa (Yadjima, Yalima), Boyeke (Ekonda, Mongo, Twa), Dikwakasa (Luba), Ibamba mu wamula (Sala Mpasu), Kabamba (Sala Mpasu), Kajazz (Yaka), kikwaka (Pende), Lundamba (Tshokwe, Tshokwe), Maruko (Mangbetu), Mikwakou (Bembe), Minyanga (Luba), Mongwasa (Sengele), Monkwasa (Badia, Bampe, Kongo), Mukwaka (Pende), Mundyamba (Luba-Kasai), Nkwar (Mputu), Onkwale (Mbunda), Sanki (Songye)
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Discography:
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