• South Africa is known for rich musical traditions.Three rag-dolls from Swaziland image by Elzbieta Sekowska from Fotolia.com
  
  The Zulu are the largest ethnic group in South Africa, with close to 11 million people, according to the South African census bureau. Rich in culture, the Zulu and their music have traveled across the world and are recognized among mainstream Western cultures. Zulu-influenced songs such as "Wimoweh" were made popular by folk singer Pete Seeger and later turned into "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the Tokens. The instruments used to create Zulu music are unique and diverse, creating a sound that is instantly recognizable.
  
  

Ugubhu

• The ugubhu is a Zulu mouth bow. It is a single string instrument traditionally made from wood and gourd. The store-bought variety is usually made from thin-gauge metal wire.To play the ugubhu, the string is struck with a thin stick or grass stem, producing a harmonic tone that resonates in pitch by moving the mouth of the gourd closer to or farther from the musician's chest.
  
  

Imifece

• The imifece is a uniquely striking Zulu instrument. In essence, an imifece is an ankle bracelet made from cocoons of moths. Dried cocoons are filled with pebbles that make the sounds of the imifece when a musician shakes his ankles. Imifeces are also worn around the wrist. Traditionally, the imifece was used to instill a state of trance within the player, allowing the ability to communicate with missing relatives or used as a means of healing for many illnesses.
  
  

Isigubhu

• The isigubhu is a Zulu drum. The isigubhu is made out of a used oil drum, wrapped with ox hide known as isikhumba. Before each performance, the drum is set out in the sun, which makes the ox hide tautly stretched. This produces a sharp, resonant sound. The drum is frequently used in sibhaca dancing, a vigorous, warrior dance from Swaziland, accompanied with clapping blocks of wood and singing.