Ocarina

The ocarina is a small spherical flute with 4 to 8 finger holes Apart from its outward appearance, which ranges from a ball to an oval-shaped body, the straight edge-blown flute uses the same playing technique as the ocarina; the air stops at the edge of the instrument and a number of finger holes enables the possibility of producing different tonal pitches. It is rare for a lip plate to be present on the African examples, an element that is prevalent in western examples. Ocarinas are often made from clay or terracotta and are therefore extremely fragile.

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:

Kitolori (Bembe), Lofolongo (Saka), Woobo (Leele)

Bibliography:

• LAURENTY,J.S., La systématique des aérophones de l’Afrique centrale, Annales Sciences Humaines-MRAC, Nouvelle série in -4°, n°7, XXII + 479 pp.
• LAURENTY,J.S., La répartition des aérophones de l’Afrique centrale, Annales Sciences Humaines-MRAC, n°129, 384 pp.

Discography:

• MR.2004.33.4/1

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