Musical Instruments

 Traditional Tolai Musical Instruments and Dance Performance.

Ismael K. Isikel 

February 2024

Introduction 

The vocabulary and brief explanations of musical instruments made and used by the Tolai people are presented in this article. Their names and variants are provided. These musical instruments are used during dance performances and other activities. One or two of these instruments are no longer in use or seen anywhere amongst the Tolai. Pangolo is one of them. In fact the word Pangolo had almost disappeared completely from Kuanua vocabulary. 

They have faded away due to lack of practice and the influence of modern music and instruments.

 Dance arrangement and performance - choreography - are also presented.

The Tolai people occupy parts of the Eastern side of New Britain Island located on the Bismarck Archipelago in the Eastern Pacific. They speak Kuanua Language with some variations in dialect.

Musical Instruments 

Kundu is made from wood and bamboo:

Kundu 1. Made from wood, hollowed, and the drumming part is covered with lizard, iguana, skin. The species of lizard is known in Kuanua as palai. 2. Made from bamboo. The word for bamboo in Kuanua is kaur. The type made from bamboo is also called pakupak. 

In a dance performance the drum beaters are called tarai na kundu. The letter i in tarai is silent and pronounced as tara na kundu when used in reference to a dance performance.

Tidir. It is made from short bamboo splits. Tidir is used in some traditional performances including kabakavir. Also pronounced as kabakaver in other dialects. This is a dukduk performance.

Garamut. Garamut is made from hard wood. It is hollowed purposely to provide a desired sound when beaten. Garamut is beaten by a one meter cane of the thick type that is known as magu. The name for the piece of cane is ogaogo. And the word for beat is ogo. Ogoe means beat it or to beat.

 Garamut is beaten during various traditional events such as a mortuary feast. It is also commonly used to announce the start and ending of a feast. One single garamut is used for this purpose of announcement. During the performance of dukduk or tubuan garamut is a main feature. Another is an ensemble of garamuts beaten by men and the event is called a boraboro or toleleten. A toleleten usually last an entire night for some days.

Kundu and garamut are not unique to the Tolai people. They are made and used by other people in Papua New Guinea. Garamut may be found in Manus and the Sepik.

Kalukal. Four short pieces of wood. Two are placed on the thighs and two are held, one in each hand to beat the two on the thigh.

Wuwu. A flute made from thin bamboo.

Pangolo is an instrument that is similar to the Jew's harp. Used to be played by females. It is no longer seen.Fortunately, through reading an historical post on Facebook I accidently discovered the term Pangolo in early 2024. In 2023 a Tolai friend of mine in Australia asked me for the Kuanua word for the Jews Harp. I could not remember and initially thought our ancestors had nothing like a Jews Harp. I found out later I was wrong.

Dance arrangement and performance.

Pinipit Composition of song, arrangement of kundu beats, steps and movements of a dance starting from the beginning to the end. Pit is the verb form of pinipit.

Kunubak or Kubak Preparation for the performance, includes making paints, body decorations and designs. Kubak is the verb of Kunubak.

The word for dance in Kuanua is malagene. A dance performance is called a malamalagene, using the present continuous tense of malagene.

Most of the dances consist of two lines of dancers arranged in pairs called wartalai. Other terms that need explanations are pilak, mapina, and wunuwung. The pair at the front leading the dance are called lualua and the pair at the back are called murbat. 

A dance usually starts with an introduction called a lalarai.The main performance follows and continues to the ending part known as olooloai. The olooloai is the slow motion part of the dance indicating the performance is about to end. Some dances have one person called a balu who dances circling around the entire dance group. His bilas includes a wooden spear and decorated basket with some facial paintings.

Similar dance arrangement are also practiced in other parts of Papua New Guinea and they have their own style of arrangement and labels.

Lartamuna This is rehearsal of a dance usually performed a day or two before the actual performance in a ceremony.

Today some of these musical instruments are also used in Church ceremonies. I observe this especially in the Catholic and United Church in East New Britain.

Note: Will include pictures later of some of these musical instruments.

Ismael K. Isikel 

February 2024