Day 16 ~ Madagascar (Valiha)

Somewhere between a harp and a guitar, the Valiha is the national instrument of the amazing island of Madagascar.

This is a fascinating website about different World Music instruments.  (Scroll down just a tad to Chordophones where you will see the valiha, and there are audio samples.)

My love of Madagascar and first siting of a Valiha happened in Brussels via N'Java, a band of Malagache siblings who play fast, flowing guitar (perhaps in a style created from the valiha) as a backdrop to strong chathartic other-worldly singing.  Here is a beautiful music video of N'Java!    And, another, also with scenes from Madagascar, by Monika N'Java called Reolo.  

It has been my ultimate artistic pleasure to visit with Monika, and many of her musical siblings, several times, and even to join them in the studio singing Indian-esque vocals for a kind of dance hit (I heard it was played in all of the coolest clubs in Madagascar).

This 40-day Virtual World Tour of Music correlates with the World Music House kickstarter crowdfund. (Click the orange words for more details!)