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The ennanga is a member of the "arched harp" family of instruments, which are relatively common throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The ennanga has been associated with "high culture" and with the ruling classes, particularly in West Africa. Today it is used essentially as a solo instrument to accompany songs. The strings of the ennanga run from the neck to the soundbox at an angle and are knotted to the wooden rod that functions as a tailpiece. Often there are movable rings of banana fibre fixed around the neck, to enable each string to vibrate. Soundboxes are usually made of wood or a hollowed-out gourd; occasionally, they are made out of metal. They are covored with mammal skin, although sometimes lizard skin is used. In performance the harp is placed in the lap of the seated player, with the arch pointed away. Usually both thumbs play half of the strings while the forefingers play the others. The number of strings varies from place to place, ranging from five to as many as nine. The ennanga housed in the Centre for Ethnomusicology has only four strings, without any banana fibre. In addition, it does not have any soundholes, and has been decorated with small shells along the rim.