Hokema Kalimbas is now run by the second generation with Peter's son Hugo Hokema at the helm of this family-run business. Today, Hokema has 9 employees has become one of the world's leading manufacturer of beautiful and easy-to-play kalimbas in various models worldwide.
The required electricity for their factory comes resource-saving from their own photovoltaic system, which is placed on the roof of their production facility.
All kalimbas and Sansulas are still made by hand with the finest craftsmanship, with Hokema having full control over processing. They only use high-quality materials to manufacture their instruments and this makes a huge difference in the resulting sound. The resonating bodies of the kalimbas are made of fine American cherry wood and are completely free of tropical woods.
In order to know exactly where the raw materials comes from, all parts are produced in Walsrode with material exclusively brought in by German suppliers.
The required electricity for their factory comes resource-saving from their own photovoltaic system, which is placed on the roof of their production facility. The vegetable oil used to polish the wood surfaces is also chemical-free and absolutely environmentally friendly. Hokema also offers workshops and tutorials online for how to play, tune and retune all of their kalimbas. These offerings go hand-in-hand with We Play Well Together's own community online and offline gatherings, classes and live experiences.
Peter Hokema, the founder and owner of the firm, invented the Sansula in 2001. The Sansula is an oval wooden frame covered with a drum skin that resonates to the tones of the Kalimba which is mounted in the center. The sounds produced by this combination were greeted with great enthusiasm and the instrument was duly patented.
Hokema Kalimba and Sansula family
Explore our WePlayWellTogether family
Blog posts
-
Our New Livestream Series on YouTube & Facebook Live!
Read now
We're Launching a New Livestream Series for 2023 with our friend Kalani Das of YouTube's WORLD DRUM CLUB
Watch this short video below recorded from a recent livestream Kalani gave on his World Drum Club YouTube channel playing our instruments while utilizing a live looper. On Sunday, January 29th, Kalani will be joined by We Play Well Together's Joule L'Adara to talk about how the instruments are played in this video, offer more live demonstrations and interact through a Q&A format. Come with any questions you have about playing intuitive instruments and we'll be ready to answer!
Kalani has been a long time friend and collaborator of We Play Well Together, so we've decided to join forces this year and offer a monthly Livestream where we can offer special interaction opportunities with our audience and customers. Look out for this on the last Sunday of the month on our YouTube Channel and Facebook Page.
Our First collaborative Livestream with Kalani is:
Sunday, January 29th
1pm PT/ 2pm MT/ 3pm CT/ 4pm ET
Watch on YouTube Live
Watch on Facebook Live
-
ASMR Monolina Journey Morning Meditation
Read now
Morning! 🌞
And now for a little Monolina Meditation...
Take an 11-minute ASMR Journey with Chelsea Caroline and her Monolina D in 432 Hz.
Though beautifully simple for anyone to play, the monochord is surprisingly diverse in all the different creative ways people play it! While this dreamy drone can be mesmerizing when played in a repetitive fashion, the monochord can also be played with hypnotic rhythms while brining in and out the melody accent notes, as you'll experience in the video below...
Our monochords are the 34-sring Monolina and 21-string Monilini made by feeltone and they come in 5 different tunings which all offer their own rich tapestry of harmonics.
Watch and listen to this lovely 11-minute video created by Sound Artist Chelsea Caroline, who gives you information about the Monolina Monochord made by feeltone, then treats us to rhythmic playing on her Monolina D. (Or you may want to hit play, close your eyes and just listen!)
Follow Chelsea Caroline Music on her YouTube Channel
Time to wake up! 🌞
-
Robbi K on WE PLAY WELL TOGETHER Instruments & The Spirit of Kwanzaa
Read now
WE PLAY WELL TOGETHER presents an online participatory celebration with Musical Artist Robbi Kumalo
Our friend Robbi K offered a live Zoom Kwanzaa Celebration in which she shared how she uses her instrument collection in connection with Kwanzaa: an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26th to January 1st. This video features highlights of her presentation featuring the WE PLAY WELL TOGETHER family of instruments. Featured in this video are: the Zenko Drum by Metal Sounds (in Combo Tuning), a feeltone Monolini Monochord (in F Tuning), and a Hokema Kalimba (Renaissance in A-minor.)
Robbi Kumalo is a musician whose career spans decades and was recently featured on the Grammy-nominated Album "All One Tribe."
For more than 25 years, Robbi K's concerts have been joyous and exhilarating, with a focus on amusing and edifying the entire family, from parents to grandparents, toddlers to teens. Everybody participates with voices, hands, feet and hearts. Robbi K’s powerful lyric soprano has graced TV commercials for the likes of Coca Cola, Lincoln Mercury,and GE, while onstage and in studios it has served her well in establishing an active career as a back-up singer for such superstars as Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Jewel, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Daniel Rodriquez, Mary J. Blige, and Harry Belafonte.
Robbi K presents a variety of lively, interactive musical and storytelling concerts including "Keep the Beat,” which has been performed most recently at NYC’s Symphony Space, The Philadelphia International Children's Festival; The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida; The State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey; and The Berks Jazz Festival. Robbi’s most requested show, which plays in venues nationwide, is inspired by Paul Simon's Grammy winning Graceland. As a storyteller, “Turtle’s Shell,” derived from her Parents' Choice Award winning CD Keep the Beat! she incorporates music and spoken word in an outstanding and unique manner.
