- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Notched end-blown flute made from the end of a gourd, used by men and boys when hunting [RTS 5/9/2005].
- Long description
- Small notched end-blown flute cut from the top part of a gourd that has been hollowed out and dried. This consists of of an oval embouchure, 'notched' or cut to form concave front and back edges, with traces of a dark brown resinous or waxy substance that has been added to narrow the embouchure and guide the breath. Below this, the body follows the natural curve of the plant, with a cylindrical body and rounded distal end that has a circular finger-hole at its centre. There is an additional finger-hole cut into the upper part of one side. A pair of smaller holes have been bored into the wall just below the lip of the instrument, and used to attach a small loop made of several strands of twisted grass fibre; this is obscured on the interior by the waxy material, which must have been added afterwards. This loop is used to secure a much longer suspension or carrying loop made of twisted 2-ply yellow grass fibre (Pantone 7508C), that varies in thickness along its length. The surface of the gourd is a reddish brown colour (Pantone 725C), and has been covered with finely incised lines and dots, filled with black pigment. Immediately below the embouchure is a horizontal line with a row of pendant dot-filled triangles below; this does not extend fully around the circumference, stopping on either side of the fingerhole, and the two ends of this band are not in alignment with one another. The pattern then breaks up into a more random design made of double rows of dots, that meander vertically down the sides, with some oblique rows dividing the surface up into a series of geometric spaces. Most are left empty, except for the face opposite the finger-hole, where one has been filled with a pair of cross-hatched triangles meeting at their points, and another below this has been filled with an angular 'B', or vertical column of 2 triangles linked at the base. This last motif has not been coloured with black. The object is complete, but there are 2 burnt patches on one side, and the suspension cord has some frayed areas. It has a weight of 13.6 grams and is 102 mm long, with an embouchure measuring 34 by 33 mm across its outside edges, and 18 by 26 mm across the inside opening; the finger-holes have a diameter of 6 mm; the suspension holes have a diameter of 2 mm; the small loop is 13 mm long, and the suspension loop 450 mm in length, with a width that ranges from 1 to 2 mm [RTS 5/9/2005].
- Cultural groups
- Southern Laarim
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 03/1979
- Date collected
- 20 - 25 March 1979
- Acquisition information
- Purchased: 1979
- Materials and processes
- Material Gourd Plant, Material Grass Fibre Plant, Material Pigment, Material Resin Plant, Material Wax, Process Hollowed, Process Perforated, Process Notched, Process Decorated, Process Incised, Process Twisted, Process Inlaid
- Dimensions
- Length: max 101 mm, Width: max 47 mm, Weight 13.6 g
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1979.20.193 Other numbers: ∆48
- Research and responses
The term 'flute' is preferred to 'whistle' for this type of object [HLR 14/1/2005]
For a similar flute cut from the end of a gourd, see 1934.8.97, a Lango example with 2 finger-holes down the side and one at the distal end. Gourd tops are also used for flutes by the Labwor and Madi of Uganda, both being of similar length to this example, and also by the Acholi (M. Trowell & K.P. Wachsmann, Tribal Crafts of Uganda, 1953, pp 343-344) [RTS 5/9/2005].
Search terms: Music, Hunting, Musical Instrument, Hunting accessory, Flute