Bolon
The bolon or M'Bolon is a traditional harp played in Mali, as well as Guinea. It was notably played in hunting ceremonies or before a battle, to rouse warriors' valor. It was also used by the Jola in Gambia for accompaniment for men's choruses.
Also recorded as nbolon · m’bolon · bolon (musical instrument)
Bolon
François-Edmond Fortier (1862-1928) · Collection particulière · Public domain
- Name
- Simbing
- Field
- plucked string instrument and arched spike harps with tall stringholders.
- Region
- Mali.
- Related practice
- gourd and hide.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
The bolon or M'Bolon is a traditional harp played in Mali, as well as Guinea. It was notably played in hunting ceremonies or before a battle, to rouse warriors' valor. It was also used by the Jola in Gambia for accompaniment for men's choruses.
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- resolved
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Authority files
wikidata · Q2909502 · wikipedia · Bolon (musical instrument)
In this article
Overview
Overview
Among other string instruments played in Guinea, the bolon is the oldest. The bolon is a three-stringed instrument, constructed from a large calabash covered by unshaven goat skin, and a bow-shaped neck. When playing, it is placed between the legs with the strings facing the musician. In addition to plucking the strings, the musician also hits the calabash as if playing a drum.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Simbing • Background — string • Classification — harp-lutes • Hornbostel Sachs — 323-5 • Hornbostel Sachs Desc — Acoustic instruments which have a resonator as an integral part of the instrument, in which the plane of the strings lies at right angles to the sound-table; a line joining the lower ends of the strings would be perpendicular to the neck. These have notched bridges. Sounded by the bare fingers
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Mali.
Country
Bolon is associated with Mali.
Country
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2909502: Bolon
Unverified · Wikidata
reference work
- “Bolon (musical instrument)”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Citations
References
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authority record
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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