Name this instrument
The National, Monday July 22nd, 2013
By EDWARD GENDE and BALTHAZAR MORIGUBA
MANY years ago, many new things were introduced to PNG by missionaries and colonial administration.
String band ensembles were one of the new musical types that were brought in by outsiders and were readily accepted, adopted and adapted by Papua New Guineans.
A special musical instrument was also introduced which was played to produce the bass sound.
However, this musical instrument is a type of wooden case originally produced and used to ship tea to United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
This wooden case is used as a resonator for an upright stringed bass. The instrument is made from a pole, traditionally a broomstick, placed into or alongside or on top of the box. One or more strings are stretched along the pole and plucked to produce the sound.
Marawi String Band from the Sepik River had used this in their performances and audio recording with NBC in the late 1970s.
If you do know the name of this interesting musical instrument, forward your answers to the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies, P. O. Box 1432, Boroko, NCD, telephone 325 4644 or email [email protected]