The lung nianga is a double-headed hourglass drum of the Frafra and belongs to the closed drum family. The drum is made from hardwood and is carved from a single piece of wood. The two heads are covered with goatskin. The lung nianga is about 40-50 cm long and 20-25 cm in diameter. In terms of playing technique and sound production, it is similar to the lung doo.
It is known as lunga among the Dagomba and the Mamprusi, singsenge among the Sissala, gungonga among the Kassena, and donno among the Akan. These are all closed hourglass drums, with slight differences in shape, size and function within the percussion ensemble that this drum forms in Gambaga with the slightly shorter lung doo and the bass drum gungon nu.
© RMCA/Dominik PHYFFEROEN