Arkivism
Spike fiddle (endingidi or iningidi)
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Spike fiddle (endingidi or iningidi)

1900s · Wood, snakeskin, and plant fiber

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

The endingidi is a single-stringed chordophone musical instrument. Scholars believe it was introduced into the Kingdom of Buganda (in present-day Uganda) between 1904 and 1907. From Uganda, it was later introduced to present-day Rwanda, where it is called iningidi and played by Hutu musicians. Horsehair stretched from the end of the handle and over the reptile-skin–covered tube sound box, and attached to the handle with the wooden tuning peg. A deeply curved bow, now missing, would have allowed a male musician to play the instrument as he held it vertically. Still played today, the music of the endingidi is often heard at weddings or played by royal Bugandan court musicians.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineSpike fiddle (endingidi or iningidi), 1900s. Eastern Africa, Uganda or Rwanda-Burundi, unknown maker. Wood, snakeskin, and plant fiber; diameter: 10.2 cm (4 in.); overall: 44.2 cm (17 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House, 1929.347

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