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Use In Congo Brazzaville

Throughout the Bantu expansion, words with the root "goma" often have to do with rituals of trance and healing. In Congo Brazzaville, the ngoma is the most widely used musical instrument. In the language of the Lari people of Congo, the word is said to be derived from the words "ngo", meaning panther, and "ma", meaning given. Drummers are said to give the strength of the panther to the dancers. In Congo Brazzaville, ngoma is a large drum with a goat skin head played standing up. There are two types of ngoma used throughout the country. Nsenga is made from the trunk of the nsenga tree, also used to make canoes. The wood is very light, making the drums especially useful for dancing while drumming. Mu ngo ngoma is a heavier drum less often used outside the country, possibly because it is more costly to transport. Within Congo, ngomas are usually fitted with skins by using tacks and are tuned by placing the head near a fire, which heats and dries the skin, raising the pitch. The musician often plays ngoma in Congo while wearing rattles called "nsakala" on the wrists. Many Congolese musicians who play ngoma have emigrated to France and the U.S. Similar drums and rhythms are used on the Kinshasa side of the river in Democratic Republic of Congo, where calf skin is more typically used for the head.