Drum „ntawan“

Object	Drum, “ntawan” “gadang”
Culture	Dayak, Borneo
Time	19th century
Dimensions	Height  81,50 cm
Material	Wood, rattan wicker, rattan, reptile skin

The drum consists of a hollowed out piece of palm wood (Arenga pinnata), which is covered with reptile skin and decorated with rattan weave. The two rattan rings are connected and the skin will be streamlined with the four wooden wedges. In the lower part of the drum two twisted bands are carved into the wood.

On the west coast of Borneo the drums are covered with the skin of the snake “Boa constrictor” and are called “ketebung”, “teganung” and “sobang”. Sometimes you will find skin of scraped off and smoked waran or less common monkey skin.

When drumming, the instrument is clamped between the legs and beaten with the hollow hand.

Apart from the drums, the Dayak have a number of other instruments such as violins, flutes and jew’s harps. The violin-like instruments are either made of half coconut shells or hollowed out ironwood balls with animal skins, to which a bamboo handle with one or two redwood strings is attached.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Studioportret

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