What kind of instrument is this?

Where did it come from?

This instrument comes from Africa, and is called an mbira (pronounced "m-BEE-ra"). It is played by plucking the metal tines with your thumbs, which is why sometimes it has been referred to as a "thumb piano."

Musical instruments like this have been made in Africa for centuries. In Zimbabwe, traditional beliefs placed great importance on mbira in ceremonies, during which the sound of the mbira was believed to help people communicate with their ancestors.

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