{"id":724,"date":"2025-12-29T14:27:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T14:27:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/?post_type=product&#038;p=724"},"modified":"2025-12-29T14:27:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T14:27:06","slug":"tabwa-likembe-lamellophone","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/?product=tabwa-likembe-lamellophone","title":{"rendered":"Tabwa Likembe Lamellophone"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"630\" data-end=\"950\">This <strong data-start=\"635\" data-end=\"665\">Tabwa Likembe lamellophone<\/strong> is an emblematic instrument of Central African music tradition, deeply rooted in the cultural life of the <strong data-start=\"772\" data-end=\"830\">Tabwa people of Katanga and the Lake Tanganyika region<\/strong>. More than a simple musical object, the likembe occupies a privileged place in ritual, social, and spiritual practices.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"952\" data-end=\"1348\">Traditionally, the instrument accompanies <strong data-start=\"994\" data-end=\"1074\">funeral ceremonies, initiation rites, healing rituals, and heroic narratives<\/strong>, guiding emotional expression and reinforcing community cohesion. Its sound, produced by plucking metal tines with the thumbs, evokes ancestral presence and spiritual communication, reflecting the Tabwa belief in music as a conduit between the visible and invisible worlds.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1350\" data-end=\"1730\">Carved from fine wood and fitted with <strong data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1433\">metal keys forged from recycled materials<\/strong>, each likembe is a unique creation. The surface often bears <strong data-start=\"1494\" data-end=\"1538\">geometric motifs and symbolic engravings<\/strong>, characteristic of Tabwa aesthetics, expressing cosmology, identity, and social belonging. These decorations transform the instrument into both an artistic masterpiece and a spiritual emblem.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1732\" data-end=\"1985\">Beyond its ceremonial significance, the likembe today symbolizes the ingenuity, creativity, and musical sophistication of Central African cultures. It remains a prized collector\u2019s piece, valued for its authenticity, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This authentic Tabwa Likembe lamellophone from Congo is a traditional African thumb piano used in funeral rites, initiations, healing rituals, and storytelling. Hand-carved in wood and fitted with metal tines, it features symbolic Tabwa geometric motifs, embodying both musical heritage and sacred cultural meaning\u2014an exceptional collectible piece of Central African art.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[23,16],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-724","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-ritual-object","7":"product_cat-statues-ritual-sculptures","9":"first","10":"instock","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=724"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=724"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=724"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handmadeartcraft.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}