The marovany is a
box zither used in the
music of
Madagascar. Used in both
religious and
secular music, it is a box made of
wood or
metal with 12 or more metal
strings attached to each side. The sound it makes is
bright and
cheerful,
joyous even. The marovany music I have heard is among the
happiest sounding I have ever encountered.
The marovany is often accompanied by the faray, a homemade rattle that is made from common material such as milk cans filled with sand or gravel.