My First Kalimba From Global Village, Dubai!

This is a story about how I got my very first kalimba in Dubai!

Dubai is city I once called home for half a decade, and during my time in that gorgeous city there are plenty of unforgettable experiences that I still hold dear. Among those are trips to Global Village, one of the most fun-filled tourist attractions in the UAE, and where I was introduced to a kalimba.

Click to Listen to the Sounds of this Kalimba!

A trip to Global Village - 2016

Outside the African pavillion, lively music and fanfare emanated calling out to one and all. This was where I bought shea butter for the first time and it is still one of my favourite finds.

As I strolled around, I came upon a stall selling African music instruments where a colourful coconut shell kalimba with just 7 keys caught my eye. The shop-minder showed me how easy it is to create fun sounds on the tines. The arrangement was random, it sounded very relaxing, and was comforting to hold too. I was sold.

Sadly, I returned to Mumbai  to study a year later and mostly forgot about the little instrument.

A post-graduation treat - 2020

Last year, after completing my Human Resource Management studies, I treated myself to some kalimbas. I now own two 17 key kalimbas; a Gecko camphor flatboard and a Hluru rosewood hollow-box. The 21 key Lingting in walnut is another gift from a dear friend. I love all three of them and continue to share short videos on various social media platforms. 

Finally, a reunion - 2021

For a good while my belongings remained in Dubai until they were recently couriered to me this month. Finally, I was so happy to be reunited with my very first kalimba! It still feels good to play it just like the very first time I found it in Dubai.

Thus, so ends this little tale of my first kalimba.

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For those who have yet to visit, Dubai's Global Village combines cultures of 90 countries all in one place with each country hosting its own pavillion. It's one of the world's largest tourism, leisure, shopping and entertainment projects, and is the region's first cultural, entertainment, family and shopping destination. Every year, it has over 5 million visitors over an area of 17,200,000 sq ft. It's mind-blowing!