The gyile is a type of West African xylophone, with seventeen keys constructed over gourds.[1] It holds a place in the musical traditions of the Dagara and Birifor people of northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso.
Bernard Woma (d. 2018) was a well-known gyile player from Upper West Ghana who spent many years teaching the instrument and introducing it to audiences around the world.[2]
Playing Style
The gyile is played by striking the keys with a wooden mallet with rubber heads and is generally played by men but there are no restrictions on gender. The instrument is usually played in pairs and accompanied by a calabash gourd drum called kuor. It can also be played by one person with the drum and the stick part as accompaniment.[3]
Gallery
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A player striking keys -
Gyile player -
Wooden mallet with rubber heads -
Musical instruments -
The underside of SK Kakraba -
the Gyile Instrument -
The gyile keys
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See also
References
- ^ Stone, Ruth M. (2010). The Garland Handbook of African Music. Routledge. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-135-90001-4.
- ^ "Bernard Woma – A master of the Ghanaian Xylophone". Dagara Music Centre.
- ^ "Xylophone - Balafon". Ghana Goods. Retrieved 2026-06-18.
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