Kaligo, the single-string violin of the Chewa people

The kaligo

is a traditional wooden single-stringed musical instrument of the Chewa people who live in the Malawian Southern and Central regions. Also, this instrument can be found on Likoma Island in Lake Malawi and known as Chimwenyumwenyu.

[1] “A Musician, A. J. Storey, Native of Nyasaland”. Portrait of a man holding a Kaligo or Gubu in both his hands facing the camera. The front of a brick building can be seen on the left of the image and there is thick vegetation behind. He wears a Chitenje or Sarong. ❧ From a Photograph Album of the Blantyre Mission, Nyasaland [Malawi] and the Mihecani Mission, Portuguese East Africa [Mozambique].

The kaligo looks like a traditional violin but in contrast to violin the string is made of goatskin that is stretched, dried and twisted. The drum’s mouth is covered by goatskin and sometimes by big lizard leather. A piece of dried maize cob leaf is wrapped around the string close to the drum.

A long time ago, the kaligo players wetted a stick, which was usually a piece of bamboo, with saliva. This gave to the kaligo its distinct sound. Nowadays musicians use water. A bottle of water is now fixed to a fingerboard, directly above the dried leaf. A bird feather is dipped into the bottle to suck water and to wet the dried leaf.

The kaligo is a masculine instrument while the mkangala is its feminine counterpart. Traditionally, men and women use these instruments in order to communicate, to address messages about relationships and matters of the heart.

There was a belief that extramarital affairs would damage the kaligo and that it would not play the proper kaligo sound. That’s why the kaligo stands for marital ties and is a symbol of faithfulness, family unity and commitment.

Another social function of the kaligo is a condemnation of negative behaviors in the community. The players use songs as messages, addressing various social ills. The kaligo songs may help to avoid direct confrontation and to settle a conflict peacefully.

Today, the kaligo is mostly used for entertainment

The process of making and playing Kaligo traditionally passed from father to son. Nowadays, the transmission is also happening through formal learning. For instance, Chavalamangwele Mkanthama runs a school “SEARCH”, located in Ntchisi district of Malawi, where everybody can learn the kaligo.

Gayighayi Mathews Mfune
MC Malawi Director

[1] National Library of Scotland, International Mission Photography Archive 1860-1960. Retrieved from http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll123/id/79842