The "mbira dza vadzimu" is very significant in Shona religion and culture, considered a sacred instrument by the Shona people. It is usually played to facilitate communication with ancestral spirits, bringing the spirit of the dead back on its homestead. Within the Shona tradition, the mbira may be played with paired performers in which the "kushaura", the caller, leads the performed piece as the "kutsinhira", the responder, "interlocks" a subsequent part. The ritual is known as the "Bira." During these all-night ceremonies, people call upon the spirits to answer questions. The variations of notes in an "Mbira" piece aid the participants in going into trance, which in Shona culture aids the spirits in taking over the participant's body.