Music is an essential part of Bwiti ceremonies in Africa and, of course, in the Czech Republic as well.
I am probably the only one Czech “beti” (Bwiti harp ngoma player) and one of the few white Europeans. With no one else in the Czech Republic (maybe in Europe), you would experience authentic Iboga Bwiti music created for you in a live broadcast, other iboga therapists play music from a recording, which loses a little of its charm. During therapies and ceremonies I do not use recorded music (or just very few late in the night), but I play and sing for you in direct flow with a connection with iboga medicine for many hours.
Traditionally, several musical instruments are used in Bwiti:
- mainly instrument is the so-called ngoma or ngombi (eight-stringed harp – see below)
- mongongo (looks like a bow, it’s kind of like a big mumble)
- soki (a rattle with two balls)
- you can also look forward to the sound of the cuckoo horn (honking horn)
- drums (djembe or other high-pitched drums)
- obaka (beating wood to wood in high rhythm)
Ngoma harps, main Bwiti music instruments
Each ngoma harp is Goddess in the Bwiti tradition, they often even dress up in robes. Each ngoma harp has its own name and personality and brings a specific energy from the “Invisible World”.
We currently have four ngoma in our temple that were brought from Africa, they are called:
- Kumacenge (from Gabon) – the first harp, the name means “Abundance of Mother Earth”, our Czech temple is named after her
- Michaela (from Gabon) – in honor of girl, my friend, who left this world…
- Égnépé (from Cameroon) – the largest harp, the name means “All-embracing Love of the Creator”, it has a deep captivating sound
- the fourth (from Cameroon) one is still unnamed – my son got it and he will give it a name when he goes through the Bwiti initiation
