The gumbri (or guembri, or sintir) is a 3-string lute played in the ritual music of the Gnawa, a syncretic ensemble originating from sub-Saharan Africa, primarily established in Morocco. This skin-headed instrument is played standing or sitting, struck and plucked with the fingernails.
Construction
The gumbri is an oblong wooden instrument without frets. The body is covered with camel skin and tightened by gut strings (formerly) or nylon/steel. Players hold the instrument like a guitar and pluck the strings while striking the body to create a rhythmic sound.
History and usage
The gumbri is the central instrument of the lila, a Gnawa ceremony where musicians call upon spirits (the qur’an) through rhythms and songs. The Gnawa descend from slaves brought from West Africa (Senegal, Mali, Nigeria) and transported to Morocco via the trans-Saharan slave trade. Gnawa music combines sub-Saharan elements with Moroccan Islam and Sufi spirituality.
Notable players
- Mahmoud Guinia (Morocco) — Gnawa master, ambassador of the gumbri to the world
- Hassan Hakmoun (Morocco) — Gnawa maestro, mystical fusion
- Boujamal Chaabi (Morocco) — Traditional Gnawa group
- Jasser Haj Youssef (Tunisia/Morocco) — Gnawa fusion
- Nass El Ghiwane (Morocco) — incorporates the gumbri into their popular music
Links to styles
The gumbri is at the heart of the gnawa tradition, a Moroccan religious and spiritual style. It is also found in the music of Afro-Moroccan communities from Essaouira and Fès.