Pictured above and below is the kundu being used by a cultural group from Madang province entertaining the crowd during the Liklik Turism Expo held at Divine Word University in Madang. The Kundu is usually made out of Rosewood.
The skin covering the top is lizard skin. I will find out the name and a picture of the lizard and update for you.
And lastly the little bumps at the top is harden honey and wax. It helps in some way with the sound.
I remember many a night sitting in the village centre for different types of feasts when my village people would sing and dance till morning sometimes for two or three days non-stop.
The Kundu makes some of the most beautiful sounds known to the ear. Its sound can be as deep as the hollow of the drum or high-pitched and abrupt.
ReplyDeleteThe lizard skin is held above fire in order to strengthen its texture, making it durable.
Its shape is unique and has been used, such as the fishbone, to describe structures within government administrations of service delivery mechanisms.
I've seen this being used at conferences.
I think the kundu shape is an appropriate one that depicts how development decisions should occur, where the top comes down, the bottom reaches up and in the middle is where we all meet, a consensus, a merging of policy makers and powerbrokers with development recipients. And its appropriate that at the top is where all the beating should take place and the bottom is where you best hear the beautiful beats.
Paitim Toktok Tasol