Nankasa: Drum – Percussion

This Uganda drum is called an entenga.  While it is considered a single headed drum, its cylindro-conical shaped wooden frame is completely covered by cowhide including both ends and it has an intricate lacing system.  Inside the drum is an object or stone, that rattles when the drum moves.  The entenga drums were part of a set of royal instruments of the Buganda Kingdom.   Each drum having its own voice and function within the ensemble. The largest of these drums is known as bakisimba and makes a loud bass sound. Some call it the master drum. The empuunya is a little smaller and also produces a higher-pitched bass sound.  The nankasa is a small drum that produces a very high-pitched sound.  They were tuned much like the Ugandan xylophone, each with a specific note based upon a pentatonic scale. The drums were played with a curved drum stick called the ‘enga‘.