Tuning of two bundoma

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Tuning of two bundoma, as pictured in the photograph. The bundoma is a metal box which has a number of metal tongues fixed on top of it. The box also has an extension, facing away from the player, through which small metal wires are threaded. The player takes the box between his body and his hands (it often has sound holes in the three sides that are not resting against his body), plucks the tongues which are pointing away from him with his thumbs, and shakes the box up and down to obtain a rattle from the wires threaded through the extension and from some pebbles inside the box. The tongues are actually flattened-out umbrella stays. These two bundoma were both mean to have 9 tongues, but one tongue of the second bundoma broke as the instrument was accompanying a song just before this tuning was recorded. (The tongues break easily). Length and width of the first bundoma 11" and 6"; length of its extension 4.5". Corresponding measurements of the second bundoma: 10", 6.5" and 6.5".

Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Tuning of two bundoma
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Other
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1965.12.24
  • Associated Places: Rokulan, Sanda Tenraran Chiefdom, Bombali District [Place Recorded]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:118

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