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Hokema Kalimbas

Peter and Hugo Hokema, the founders and creators of Hokema Kalimbas. | weplaywelltogether

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. 

Hokema manufacturing site. | weplaywelltogether

The required electricity for their factory comes resource-saving from their own photovoltaic system, which is placed on the roof of their production facility.

Image of the factory and people working to build Hokema kalimbas. | weplaywelltogether

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

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