Ob-Ugric drum

The article is devoted to ethnomusicological consideration of the shamanic drum of Khanty and Mansi (ObUgric peoples). The study is based on the publications of ethnographers, open access video and field materials of the author. An important role in the work is given to special folk terminology related to the structure of the instrument and its name.The author found that the Ob-Ugrians’ drum is a composite musical instrument, its components are simple sound instruments: membranophone and several types of idiophones (rattles). The handle and hammer are often called “spoon” and “arrow” or otherwise, but these names are not strictly assigned to them; they may have been interchangeable in the past. Three factors influencing the sound potential of the instrument have been identified: morphological (two resonator cavities and many pendants), physical (wood material, membrane temperature) and performance (the position of the drum and the shaman when playing).In many shamanic rituals of the Ob-Ugric peoples, other instruments were also played: the zither (on which personal melodies of the spirits were played) and the board with arrows (for transmitting “messages” from the spirits to the participants of the ritual). The zither and the board with arrows could completely replace the drum in the ritual. The author suggests that the Ob-Ugric drum is an instrument of late origin, and the use of the drum, zither and the board with arrows in the ritual culture of Khanty and Mansi has different historical, geographical and ethnic roots

Archaeology · Biology · Drum · Geography · Zoology · Music Technology and Sound Studies · Musicology and Musical Analysis