Udu



The kim-kim or Udu is a plosive aerophone (in this case implosive) and an idiophone of the Igbo of Nigeria. In the Igbo language, ùdù means 'vessel' or 'pot'. This is a hand percussion instrument and it is one of most important instruments in Igbo music.

About
Actually, being a water jug with an additional hole, it was played by Igbo women for ceremonial uses. Legend says that the Udu drum was made accidentally because a punched hole was on the side, making it useless. Instead of throwing it away, the owner started to drum it.

How is it made
Usually, the Udu is made of clay. Sometimes, the ashes of relatives are used to make them too, but it also can be made out of plastic or glass. Today it is widely used by percussionists in different music styles.

How to Play
The instrument is placed in two ways: it is either on the lap or secured with duct tape to a stand before it is played by hand. The player produces a bass sound by quickly hitting the big hole. There are many ways that the pitches can be changed, depending on how the hand above the small upper hole is positioned. Furthermore, the whole corpus can be played by fingers.

Udu makers

 * Clive Sithole
 * Eugene Skeef