Algaita
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The Algaita is a type of oboe, or shawm, from West Africa. It is made from a single piece of wood hollowed into a short, conical tube. It has a circular pirouette that you press your lips against to play. The algaita tends to be played only in the presence of local rulers.
| Family |
| Woodwinds |
| Pitch range |
| From less than one octave up to two octaves. |
| Material |
| Wood, covered in leather, with mouthpipe usually of brass. |
| Size |
| About 18 in (46 cm). |
| Origins |
| The algaita was developed by the Fulani people of West Africa around the 14th century. |
| Classification |
| Aerophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a column of air. |
| And also... |
| The algaita can be played continuously if you breathe in through your nose at the same time as breathing out from your cheeks. Children learn this skill by blowing through a straw into water without letting the bubbles stop. |
