Kalangu
/kəˈlæŋ.ɡuː/noun
A Hausa hourglass-shaped talking drum used in West African music and communication.
Did you know?The kalangu’s pitch can be altered by squeezing its tension cords, allowing skilled players to imitate the tones and speech patterns of Hausa language.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Hausa
kalangu
“A term for an hourglass-shaped talking drum; the deeper origin of the Hausa word is uncertain.”
19th Century
Hausa
kalangu
“A talking drum used by Hausa musicians, praise singers, and court performers.”
19th–20th Century
English
kalangu
“A Hausa drum described in travel, ethnographic, and musical writing.”
Modern English
English
kalangu
“A West African talking drum, especially associated with Hausa musical traditions.”