This wooden oboe has four holes and a tin and reed mouthpiece. It is a wind instrument (aerophone). Similar instruments that are played by blowing were used widely throughout West Africa. Many reed instruments like this were made from hollow plant stems. This instrument comes from Missan, Northern Nigeria, which is either a place or an ethnic group (probably a Hausa related group). The word ‘algiata’ may be a corrupt spelling of an indigenous term.
© National Museums Liverpool
Accession reference: National Museums Liverpool, Ethnology Collection 21.1.1925
Themes
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Africa before Transatlantic Enslavement
The history of Africa and African people does not begin nor end with transatlantic slavery. Understand what Africa was like and what the continent lost as a result of the trade.
Background Reading
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The Lost Libraries Of Timbuktu
Until recently, many commentators on Africa claimed that African societies had no tradition of writing. With the rediscovery of ancient manuscript collections, some dating back to the 8th century AD, this perception is changing.
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Introduction To Various African Kingdoms