The Sanza, a Thumb Piano with Many Names

Radio France Internationale

Center

Factuality

Ownership

Christian and Amour Makouaya, brothers and heirs to a long musical tradition, perpetuate the art of the sanza (or likembe). Originally from Congo-Brazzaville, they grew up to the rhythm of this instrument, inspired by their great-grandfather, a pioneer of the sanza, and trained by masters like Antoine Moundanda. Craftsmen and musicians, they make their own instruments, passing on ancestral know-how and a passion nurtured by African legends.