Check out this slit drum that I came across!! - General Tiki

H hewey Tiki Socialite Sydney, Australia Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 4283	H hewey Posted posted on Sun, Feb 20, 2011 2:25 AM I just got back from a trip to Vanuatu yesterday and this style of slit drum is very popular - they're everywhere! Basically they were used to communicate to people in a tribe, and also to communicate to neighbouring tribes as well, with different beats giving different meanings. Our resort with a slit drum carving in the foreground Some local carvings at the market, you can see a slit drum to the left This is the national museum in Vanuatu, the guide provides a sense of scale to the slit drum! Each mask represents a level of 'seniority' in the tribal system ie. one mask represents local village chief, two masks represents a chief of a few villages, 3 masks a regional chief etc. Our guide giving us a demonstration of different messages on another drum The swirls just below the mouth are representative of the wild pig tusks worn by the chiefs, similar to these

I just got back from a trip to Vanuatu yesterday and this style of slit drum is very popular - they're everywhere! Basically they were used to communicate to people in a tribe, and also to communicate to neighbouring tribes as well, with different beats giving different meanings.

Our resort with a slit drum carving in the foreground

Some local carvings at the market, you can see a slit drum to the left

This is the national museum in Vanuatu, the guide provides a sense of scale to the slit drum! Each mask represents a level of 'seniority' in the tribal system ie. one mask represents local village chief, two masks represents a chief of a few villages, 3 masks a regional chief etc.

Our guide giving us a demonstration of different messages on another drum

The swirls just below the mouth are representative of the wild pig tusks worn by the chiefs, similar to these

Post #576911 by hewey on Sun, Feb 20, 2011 2:25 AM