Benta (instrument)
title: "Benta (instrument)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["jamaican-musical-instruments", "bamboo-musical-instruments", "monochords", "idiochords"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benta_(instrument)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
The benta is a large one-string bamboo zither native to Jamaica. The instrument is an idiochord in that the instrument string is made from the same piece of bamboo that composes the body. The instrument is played by two men sitting astride it at either end, one striking the string and the other changing the pitch of the string by using a gourd-like guitar slide.
The instrument is primarily used to accompany Dinki Mini mourning ceremonies in Saint Mary Parish and Portland Parish.
References
References
- Maureen Warner-Lewis. (2003). "Central Africa in the Caribbean: Transcending Time, Transforming Cultures". University of West Indies Press.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::