N'goni are west African rhythm harps. There are three main types, the djeli, the donso and the kamale. The donso and kamale are similar to the well known kora, only having less strings and being slightly different in construction.

The donso n'goni is the six string harp of the traditional hunter societies from the historic Wassoulou region of Mali, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. The word donso can be translated as hunting or hunter. For this reason the donso n'goni are also known as the hunters harp. Donso n'goni are ceremonial instruments, used by hunters to accompany traditional chanting and storytelling. They are played in ceremony together with the karagnan (also called kariyan or kassa kassa), a serrated metal tube that is scraped with a metal stick.

The kamale n'goni is a modern variation of the donso n'goni. Kamale can be translated as youth, so the kamale n'goni is said the be the harp of the new generation to play modern arrangements on, rather than the traditional compositions. Alata Brulaye is said to have first made this variation in the 1960's by adding more strings to the donso n'goni. Structurally, that is the only significant difference between the donso and the kamale n'goni. Today kamale n'goni are made with eight, ten or twelve strings.

Both the donso and the kamale n'goni are made from a large calabash with a goat skin stretched over an opening in the top and fastened with brass taks on the sides. The bridge sits on top of the goat skin and connects the strings from the base of the n'goni to the neck where they are tuned. Jeremy Cloake makes kamale n'goni. The calabash section of the n'goni he makes have been made in Bobo Dialasso in Burkina Faso.

As a complete instrument, n'goni are fairly fragile, and to avoid transit damage, Jeremy makes the rest of the instrument (the neck, handles etc) in New Zealand. They are then shipped in kitset form with detailed instructions and online support (skype video calls and email) regarding how to assemble and tune them. Assembly is straightforward and once tuned they require little maintenance other than the occasional tuning adjustments, like any string instrument. They can also be sent as fully made and tuned instruments, however this can be expensive because of the size of the package required to ensure safe transit.

Most often Jeremy makes n'goni specifically to order. The best quality Gotoh machine heads are used. Different types of wood can be used for the neck, handles and bridge, however this is subject to availability. The way that they are made ensures that the sound is clean and they are well suited for professional recording use, or simply enjoyed as a musical instrument. Top quality Fishman pick-ups can also be supplied for recording and performance purposes. Included with each n'goni is a secure instrument stand so they look good in your home and are protected from falling over. N'goni bags are also available.

They are made with 10 strings (pentatonic tuning), unless specified otherwise. Because of the tuning, all of the strings sound good together, so it is impossible to play a bad note. This makes it easy for anybody to play and enjoy. The n'goni is held with both hands and the strings are plucked with the thumbs and index fingers. The hand positioning feels very natural and most often people comment on how easy it is to get a good sound and how enjoyable it is. N'goni are rhythm harps and are typically played by repeating cycles and adding improvisations within the timing of the cycle.

Pictured: Kamale n'goni by Jeremy Cloake. Click on the images on the left for n'goni bags, archive images of n'goni that Jeremy has made and instruments currently for sale. If you would like to order an n'goni contact Jeremy.