Across Africa, a calabash plays many roles. Sometimes as an eating plate, drinking bowl, storage container, and even a musical instrument like the Ṣẹ̀kẹ̀rẹ̀, Kora, Ngoni, and the Balafon, all from West Africa. Likewise, among the Xhosa people of South Africa, the calabash found a musical place: the resonating chamber of the uhadi, a musical bow whose very name evokes depth. In isiXhosa, uhadi refers not only to a deep hollow but also to the fullness of a woman’s breast, a fitting metaphor since the curve and size of the gourd shape the sound of the bow itself.

The uhadi has always been more than wood, string, and calabash. It is a cultural treasure most often held by women. For generations, Xhosa women have been the makers, players, and keepers of this instrument. They fashioned the bow themselves, measured it to the length of their own arms, and fitted the gourd so that it rested comfortably against the body when played.

The story of the Uhadi begins much earlier, with the San people, the original hunter-gatherers of Southern Africa. The San carried bows for hunting, but they also discovered another use for them: music. By attaching a calabash to the bow, the soft pluck of the string grew into a voice-like resonance. Over time, the Khoisan refined this instrument, and the Xhosa made it their own, choosing wood from the umbangandhlela tree, a species native to the Eastern Cape, to shape the bow. The uhadi also has a cousin among the Zulu, known as the umkhweyana. Both instruments share the same basic idea: a wooden bow, a string, and a resonating gourd. However, they differ in design. On the uhadi, the gourd is attached to the side of the bow and tends to be larger, while the Zulu version places a smaller gourd at the center. These subtle differences give each instrument a distinct tone and style, reflecting the uniqueness of each culture.

What truly gives the uhadi its voice, however, is the calabash. Without it, the instrument produces only a faint tone, but when pressed gently against the player’s breast, the gourd resonates and amplifies the sound, turning a single plucked string into something that seems to breathe with life. Even the size of the calabash was once measured against a woman’s breast, ensuring not only sound quality but comfort while playing. In this way, the instrument’s design carries a deep intimacy, rooted in both practicality and symbolism.

Traditionally, women used the uhadi to accompany songs about everyday life. Some songs carried place names, mapping memory into melody. Others told stories of journeys, events, or topical happenings. The bow’s simple design of just wood, string, and gourd belies the depth of expression it could carry, from haunting tones to rhythmic accompaniment.

In many ways, the uhadi is more than an instrument. It is the story of how the San’s hunting bow transformed into a cultural tool, how women became its guardians, and how a calabash — humble, ordinary, yet deeply symbolic — could hold the resonance of a people’s voice. Even today, the sound of the uhadi is a reminder that music is not just about entertainment. It is about roots, memory, and the quiet but enduring power of women who have kept this tradition alive for centuries.

The uhadi is more than a bow of wood, string, and calabash.

The Story of the Uhadi

The uhadi is more than a bow of wood, string, and calabash.

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