Drum (ngoma) (by 1928): Art, History and Details

Drum (ngoma) (by 1928) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This musical instrument takes its name ngoma from the Kongo language word for "drum." Specialized craftspeople often made these drums. The wooden base is hollow and covered with a first hide, then a second one held tight by plant fibers. This allows the sound to resonate when just the first membrane is struck. In Uganda, drums contain a ritual "heart" known only to its maker, which helps to imbue it with power. In contrast with royal drums (mpango), this instrument is not considered sacred. The sounds from men striking drums could be used as a kind of communication or as music in a performance setting.

Object facts

• Title: Drum (ngoma)
• Date: by 1928
• Culture: Africa, Eastern Africa, unknown maker
• Type: Musical Instrument
• Technique: Wood, rawhide, and plant fiber
• Dimensions: Diameter: 31.2 cm (12 5/16 in.); Overall: 40 cm (15 3/4 in.)
• Collection: African Art
• Department: African Art
• Accession number: 1929.343

A detail from the museum

Paul Travis purchased this piece in Kampala, Uganda, shortly after receiving a telegram informing him that the African Art Sponsors and the Gilpin Players had commissioned him to collect African works with money they raised.

Collection credit

Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.