Water drum

A water drum (English water drum ) is a Aufschlagidiophon whose hollow resonant body like a drum is added to a water surface or resting on the water and similarly beaten. The percussion instrument is found in tropical regions of Africa and Southeast Asia. In a third design, which comes from the North American Indians, a drum with wooden cabinet for sound regulation is inside partially filled with water. The term " drum " is colloquial and misleading in the first two cases, since in contrast to well above Membranophone no vibrating membrane is present there.

On the outer side hinged hollow body

Water drums are made from a calabash half shell, which floats in a vessel with water in sub-Saharan Africa. The pitch obtained from the amount of air located in the interior and can be changed by depressing. Therefore, in some areas, water drums are held with one hand and beaten with a stick in the other. Otherwise, two mallets or equipped with finger rings hands are used.

The assekalabo in the north of Niger is played with Tende plastic sandals in connection with the mortar barrel. Another water drum can with the one-stringed spike fiddle Goge be used in Bori - possession ritual in Nigeria.

The Fulbe in the Gambia call their water drum gedundung. It is played with spike fiddle, flute, rattle, and other drums. As an alternative to gedundung use the Fulbe the calabash drum horde with just over 50 centimeters in diameter. Here, the sound can be varied by changing the whipped with ringed hands half-shell is pressed with the opening against your body while standing.

In the north of Togo, the water gourds ( toyn ) played in juxtaposed sheet metal or plastic buckets in pairs as two half shells ( oka ). The one with the floor ( kpovi ) of the right hand whipped gourd produces a deep tone that left a high tone. Both are alternately, always with the right starting beaten, and serve the song and dance accompaniment.

On the surface of the water whipped tubes

Entirely different function, the water drums that occasionally occur in the music of New Guinea. The Iatmul on the middle Sepik wooden hourglass tubes are pairwise stamped on the riverbank on the water surface. The tubes are open at both ends and resemble the einfelligen Sanduhrtrommeln kundu. A side handle in the form of a crocodile, extends its tail over the body, is used to hold. It used to be sacred instruments that could not be seen by women and children. Today they are presented to tourists as souvenirs and provide a substantial source of income When dipping and pulling out of the water results in two different tones. Water stands for the principle of fertility. The hourglass represents the connection between heaven and earth, two corresponding worlds, who come together in the slim center and reverse each other. The people devouring crocodile is a mythical beast that comes up in connection with rites of passage.

Without drums, but with bare hands produce in the water standing women on some Pacific islands (Vanuatu, Solomon Islands) similar rhythmic tones.

Water-filled drums

In the North American Iroquois one side strung with animal skin wooden drum used in ritual music that is inside partially filled with water. The third end amount on average water level must be precisely adjusted by trial and error to achieve the desired sound result. The Iroquois also use different shaped mallets to affect the sound.