Google celebrates Zimbabwe's Culture Week by paying tribute to the mbira, the country's national instrument, which produces a soothing sound that's a perfect balm for our current global anxiety.

Based on Chiweshe's combinations, the marimba and the mbira quite simply belong together. The marimba, a relatively recent invention in Zimbabwe, offers a warm wooden resonance to balance the ringing ...

The mbira is a crucial link to the past for the Shona people in Zimbabwe. Traditionally played by men, in recent years women have begun to play the instrument and are pushing its sound in a more ...

Researchers have found a new use for a 3,000-year-old African musical instrument: detecting toxic substances and counterfeit medications. The sensor, based on the mbira (pronounced 'em-bir'-uh ...

Researchers have found a new use for a 3,000-year-old African musical instrument: detecting toxic substances and counterfeit medications. The sensor, based on the mbira (pronounced 'em-bir'-uh ...

The mbira is an African musical instrument that has been around in one form or another for at least 3,000 years. Now, however, scientists have developed a new version that – when combined with a ...

A handheld instrument with many varieties, the mbira is made up of graduated metal prongs attached to a soundboard. Plucking one of the prongs releases a sound, as can be seen here.

The mbira is used in a number of Shona ceremonies and has helped to pass down songs for hundreds of years. Google's homepage features an illustration of the instrument alongside the company's logo ...