The Making of a Kundu Drum
(from "Bikmaus - A Journal of Papua New Guinea Affairs, Ideas and the Arts"
Vol 7 No. 3, September, 1987 pages 51-61)
- As varied as there are Kundu drums in Papua New Guinea, there are as many
types of wood (trees) that are suitable for making Kundu drums. One such tree
is called ggage by the Buang of the Morobe province. The tree is felled and
later cut into one metre sections, the normal traditional Buang Kundu size.
Cutting is slow and controlled to ensure there are no cleavages in the grain.
- The chosen sections are then barked and the excess cumbium layer cut or
chipped away with axe or adze.
- Tradition comes to bear on the shape of the kundu drum. A handle towards
the middle section (saddle) needs to be left as part of the shape, which means
much of the extraction will be concentrated in the middle area.
- The crude recesses around the handle area are chipped or cut clear in preparation
for the following, firing stage.
- After many hours of work, the work of course alternating between cutting
and shaving, the original log is reduced to the Kundu drums basic shape.
- The traditional Kundu drum has two hollow conical ends. The removal of the
wood matter from the inside is not necessarily performed by knife or chisel.
A slow but proven firing method is used and this is often carried out over
a number of days. First the outlines of the hollow are marked out.
- Then a hollowed out fire bed is chiselled out on one end as will be for
the other end as well.
- A metal implement with rasped sides is used to deepen the bed before the
start of a small fire. The fire is regularly kindled by blowing fresh air
in through a blow pipe. The fire is allowed to burn in deep. A fire stick
is used to smoothen sections above the original fire bed. The glowing embers
and hot charcoal are stirred to singe and heat treat the sides all the way.
The fire is not allowed to burn through.
- Ramming and clawing for a break through to the other end.
- The craftsman studies the crude Kundu and contemplates the excess wood still
to come off and patterns, if any, that will be engraved on the two conical
ends. The unit of course is still far from finished.
- The craftsman proceeds with cutting (Lin relief) traditional patterns on
the roughly but shaven body. Like all craftsmen everywhere, this Kundu shall
bear his mark, his signature. Once the signatures are complete, the whole
surface is cleaned of bumps to await sanding.
- A finished/sanded Kundu drum awaiting the essential gloss-up. Note the outlines
of the even recess all round the closest end. This is the surface that will
retain gum for holding a strip of stuffed goanna or lizard skin.
- Two drums just about finished being allowed to dry in the sun. The gloss
is derived from a mixture of pig blood and the sap of a tree, which turns
black on mixing.
- A passed and certified Kundu. Note the arranged blobs on the hitting surface.
These can be of hardened wax, honey or coal tar. These are shifted or removed
to alter the tone of the roll. The goana/lizard skin being heat sensitive,
can alter the tonal quality of the Kundu.
|| Papua New Guinea ||
