World Music and Folk Instruments

Table of Contents

Musical Instruments from Around the World ………………………….………………….. 2 - 15

Teaching Ideas for Docent Presentations …………………………..……………………… 16 - 30

Make Your Own Folk Instruments

How To Make a Bolang Gu ………………………………………………………..…….. 31 - 33
How To Make a Rain Stick ……………………………………………………………….. 34 - 36
How To Make Maracas ……………………………………………………………………. 37 - 39

Rain Chant and Rainstorm Dance ………………………………………………………………. 40 - 41

How To Make a Sistrum ………………………………………………………………..… 43 - 46

Additional Resources ……………………………………………………..………………………………… 48

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
FROM
AROUND THE WORLD
 Explanation of the Word “Music”

From the Greek “muses” who were the 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. As legend has it,
the muses had no individual attributes for a very long time and they equally patronized every
form of music and poetry. The muses only developed individual characteristics in the 4th century
B.C.

The 9 Muses are:

1. Calliope—Patron of the epic poem

2. Clio—Patron of history
3. Terpsichore—Patron of light poetry and dancing
4. Melpomene—Patron of tragedy
5. Thalia—Patron of comedy
6. Polyhymnia—Patron of lyric poetry
7. Erato—Patron of elegiac poetry
8. Urania—Patron of astronomy
9. Euterp—Patron of Music

The Greeks word for museum, mouseion, referred to a shrine with priests and sacrifices that was
centered on a cult for the muses.

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I. Origins of Music

Music is used in literally dozens of situations in every society. In all societies, it

accompanies certain daily activities. Lullabies are a universal musical form, and music
is frequently found in association with courtship and recreational games. Secular and
religious dances always have some musical accompaniment. But music may also be
used in connection with education, and it often forms a part of elaborate greetings and
farewells.

The origin of music is not definitely known but there are possibilities in many
different activities. Basically it derived from the human speaking voice—not from
ordinary speaking but from excited speaking where the voice reaches very high and
very low points… almost along a musical scale. Some songs include shouts which we
use when very excited and others are very soft, such as lullabies, as if we were
speaking low so as not to wake the sleeper.

Vocal signals may also be a possible origin of music. It is much harder to distinguish
words when shouted across large distances than it is to tell high notes from low notes
or short from long. Also, the sound must be held for a relatively long period of time so
that the receiver can make out the call.

It should also be kept in mind that man was not the first to sing…all he had to do was
listen to the birds and other animals to get ideas about song. Also natural things
around him had musical sounds…a hollow tree trunk makes a good drum sound and
indeed many drums are just that. Some stones, when struck, make musical sounds and
some of man's tools also make such sounds. The bow-string may have evolved into the
stringed instruments.

There are different ideas about the origins of music. Most native accounts attribute the
origins of music to supernatural forces. The following account is from the Asaba
people of Nigeria:

The Asaba people say that music was first brought into the country by a hunter
named Orgardie, a native of Ibuzo, upon his return from an expedition in
search of big game. Orgardie having lost his way in a thick forest, was
surprised at hearing sounds of music. He accordingly concealed himself and
discovered that the music proceeded from a party of forest spirits that were
approaching. From his hiding place, Orgardie managed to hear and observe
sufficient to enable him to remember the steps of the dances, and the music of
the songs sung; and upon his return to his village he taught his countrymen this
music, which was called Egu olo. From Ibuzo music was imported to Asaba
land…every fresh dance or song is believed to have been first heard by hunters
during their expeditions in the jungles, and attributed to forest spirits.
(Merriam, p. 75.)

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II. Vocal Music

It is logical to think that the first types of music were simple songs without any
instruments playing. Strenuous activity may have brought on the beginnings of song,
just through the puffs and pants of the workers. Work calls may have developed into
song because of the regularity of the beat. Work songs also serve to keep a large
number of people working in unison by providing a rhythm to work by. Many types of
work are traditionally accompanied by singing, which helps make a tiresome task
more pleasant. Here again the rhythm may be provided by the work itself.

Before writing and books became widespread, legend and history were passed on by
storytellers who often sang their stories. Many popular nursery rhymes and ballads are
hundreds of years old and often relate historical events. Nursery rhymes may appear
whimsical and appropriate for children, but some of them are bitter accounts of social
or political problems. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" records the complaints of the common
people in 16th century England, represented by "the little boy crying in the land,"
about the amount of wool they had to turn over to the King, "my master," and the rich
nobility, "my dame.” “Ring-Around-the-Rosy” is about the Black Plague!

Ballads are recitals of events, either imagined or historical which are also entertaining
to the audience. Ballads often merely record the events of everyday life. In the
American west, cowboys on the range sang many songs about their work with cattle
and horses.

Some songs have very special uses and can only be sung during certain ceremonies or
on special occasions. We have many of these in New Mexico...songs like "Happy
Birthday,” "Feliz Cumpleaño,” hymns, and Christmas carols are all related to specific
occasions. Other cultures, too, have songs which are only sung at certain times such as
harvest time, initiation into adulthood, burials, weddings, exorcisms, and other rituals.
In many cases it is unthinkable to sing these songs at any other time. Another use for
song is fighting. If an Eskimo is angry at someone, he will sing insults at him. As the
two enemies sing insults at each other, the group listening will decide who is the victor
by the cleverness of the insults. This makes it possible for disagreements to be aired
without interfering with group cooperation during the hunt. Also, in the Inuit culture,
each man has his own song which no other is allowed to sing.

III. Instrumental Music

There are thousands of different kinds of musical instruments. Some were invented
long ago and have spread through many parts of the world. Others are comparatively
recent inventions and are found in only a limited area. Instruments may have originally
been made to imitate the sound of the human voice and other natural sounds, and also
to keep time with vocal music. A simple and extremely handy instrument that can be

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used to keep time is the human body. Africans use their entire bodies as percussive
instruments to provide rhythmic accompaniment for dancing.

Castanets (Spain and the Caribbean) - To provide rhythm for dancing.

Gourd rattles (American Southwest and Peru) - Rattles are used worldwide to create
accompanying rhythms for songs and dances. Southwestern Pueblo Indians carry
gourd rattles in their right hands during dances, making rhythms that either match or
oppose the dance rhythm itself. (North American Indian music is often composed of
opposing rhythms.) Gourd rattles are made by cooking and cleaning the gourds, then
removing the seeds and replacing them with a handful of pebbles. The handle is made
either of the gourd neck, or a wooden stick that is pegged into the gourd.

Horn Scraper (Central America) - This is a bull horn and is scraped with a stick.

Panpipes (Ecuador) - These appear all over the world wherever bamboo is to be found
and are made of varying lengths of bamboo cane bound together. This illustrates a
notion that similar inventions often occur in different areas of the world independent
of one another.

Flute (Algeria and Africa) - Made of bamboo with red dye for stripes.

Whistle (Oaxaca, Mexico) - Ceramic turtle with mouth piece at turtle's mouth.

Bullroarer (Worldwide) - The bullroarer is a universal noise-maker and has been found
in the Americas (among the Eskimo, Kwakiutl, Arapaho, Navajo, Ute, Pomo and the
Pueblo Indians), Oceania (New Zealand and Australia), Africa (along the Congo),
Europe (England), and the Mediterranean region (Greece).

When the bullroarer is whirled about one's head, it produces a "roaring" or whizzing
sound. This sound is caused by the currents of air pushing against the edge of the
instrument. It varies from 6 inches to two feet in length, and 2 to five inches in width.
Among the Navajo and Hopi, it is made of wood obtained from a lightning-split tree.

The bullroarer is used mainly in ceremonials; often it is used to warn people of an

upcoming ceremony. It is, among the Hopi, used to invoke clouds, thunder, and rain.
In more humid areas, it is used as a prayer to the wind god for fairer weather.
Prehistoric bullroarers have been found here in the Southwest in both
Ancestral Pueblo and Hohokam sites. These specimens are made of both wood and
bone. Our bullroarer is a Hopi bullroarer from Old Oraibi. It is made of wood. The
Hopi often decorated their bullroarers with lightning symbols.

CAUTION: DO NOT LET THE STUDENTS PLAY WITH IT - THERE IS TOO

MUCH DANGER OF HEAD OR EYE INJURY

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 Thumb piano or Sansa or Kalimba(native to Africa) - The foundation board is
hollowed out to form a resonating chamber. The body of the sansa is held with four
fingers and the metal tongues are plucked with the thumbs. The sansa is primarily used
to accompany singers. These are quite complex instruments and occur in great variety.
The Shena of Africa have enormous thumb pianos with up to 18 keys. Small ones are
used to learn on, often in pastures.

Cochiti Drum (Southwest Pueblo) - The drums made by the people of Cochiti Pueblo
are well-known in the Southwest, and are often used by other pueblos in their
ceremonies and dances. Cochiti drums are made of either mountain cottonwood
(preferably dead and semi-hollow) or aspen wood. The drum heads are made of cow or
horse hide, which is soaked, dried and scraped. If a drum has two "voices", or tones,
two different thicknesses of hide have been used for each head. Ceremonial drums
always have two voices. (The drum in the trunk, like most commercial drums made at
Cochiti, has only one voice.) Drums, like rattles, are a common form of rhythmic
accompaniment throughout the world.

Gong (China) - This is made of brass and can be beaten with anything. Uses of the
gong include:

1. At gates of yamens (residences of Chinese government officials) to announce

arrival of visitors
2. Army - signals to retreat
3. Processions - frightens and drives away evil spirits
4. Announces departure of ships
5. During the eclipses it frightens the heavenly dog just as he is about to eat the
moon
6. Marks time in songs
7. On the streets a small gong denotes a candy merchants
8. Buddhist temple - calls the attention to sleeping gods

In Indonesia, brass gongs, which symbolize wealth have been used as a form of
currency/money

Extended Bibliography

Boulton,, Laura. The Music Hunter: The Autobiography of a Career. Garden

City, NY, Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1969.

Marcus, Sibyl. A Survey of Musical Instruments. New York, NY, Harper and
Row, 1975.

May, Elizabeth, ed. Musics of Many Cultures. Berkely, CA, University of

California Press, 1980.

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 IV. Instrumental Classification

Musical instruments are classified into one of the following four groups:

1. Idiophones are self-sounding instruments where the whole body vibrates to

produce the sound (rattles, cymbals, gongs, etc.)
2. Membranophones are instruments whose sound is produced from a vibrating
membrane stretched over a resonating chamber (drums).
3. Chordophones produce sound from vibrating strings (harps, violins, etc.)
4. Aerophones produce sound from a vibrating column of air (flutes, whistles,
etc.).

Idiophones:

Castanets (Clappers)

There are many ways for people to mark rhythms when they dance. Some of the first sound
sources for loud clapping sounds include the clapping of hands or the striking of wood, stones,
shells and other natural materials to produce loud clapping sounds. From these early sound
sources clapper style instruments developed. Castanets, a type of clapper, are used today by
dancers to mark elaborate rhythms.

Activity Suggestion

 Have students look at the shape of the castanets and discuss what objects in nature have a
similar shape and might have made a good clapping sound and/or instrument.
 Demonstrate how they are held when played
 Have students produce clapping rhythms
 See if a student using the castanets can produce a similar rhythm
 Then have the student with the castanets try a rhythm and see if the rest of the class can
reproduce the same pattern.

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 Rattles (Ankle, Strung, and Gourd):

Peruvian Rodent African

Cow-Hooved
Considered one of the oldest instruments, rattles were first used as amulets to ward off
evil spirits. Their use expanded quickly into rhythm instruments and children’s toys.
Interestingly, today rattles retain all these early purposes. Shamans shake rattles during
healing ceremonies. Southwestern Pueblo Indians carry gourd rattles in their right
hands during dances marking rhythms, and often they are a baby's first toy. Gourd
rattles are made by cooking and cleaning the gourds, then removing the seed and
replacing them with a handful of pebbles. The handle is made either of the gourd neck,
or wooden stick that is pegged into the gourd.

Activity Suggestion

 Have the students pick out the rattles from the other instruments.
 Ask them to examine how they are made, including materials and style of decoration.
 Shake each of the rattles and discuss the different quality of sound each makes.

Bells and Pellet Bells:

Camel Clapper bell (Iranian)

Wrap-around Leg Pellet (India)

Lost in time is the origin of bells. Like other instruments, bells were probably
associated with ritual and magical activities. Even today bells are connected with
rituals in churches. They are also worn on dancers' costumes, placed in children’s toys,
attached to wind chimes, affixed to animal collars and help ring in the New Year.

8
Sistrum (from the Roman name of the Greek Sistron, Seiein, “To Shake”):

The sistrum probably originated in Egypt where archaeologists find it depicted on

tomb wall paintings. From these paintings and hieroglyphs it is known to have been an
instrument sacred first to the goddess Hathor and later to Isis. During this time women
were the only ones allowed to play it. However, sistrums were found throughout the
ancient world associated with many different uses. Today fisherman in Melanesia
shake giant sistrums made from bamboo and strung coconut shells to try and attract
sharks. Except for limited use in the Christian Monophysite Church in Ethiopia, it is
no longer used as an instrument.

Scraped Idiophones (Rasps):

Rasps are made from sticks, bones, gourds and shells. Notches are cut into the
surface. When played, a stick is scraped across the notches. Often it is placed on some
type of resonator such as a gourd, basket or other hollow container to enhance the
sound. It doesn't have a very musical quality but often is used to produce and support
rhythmic patterns. Archaeologists have uncovered rasps from as early as the
Paleolithic. Rasps, in the past and today, are known to be used in rituals and
ceremonies in many parts of the world.

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Sansa, Kalimba or Thumb Piano (Native to Africa):

The sansa has many names, is made from many different materials, and comes in a
wide variety of sizes. The origins of this instrument is unknown but was unique to
the continent of Africa until brought by the African slaves to the Americas. As the
name suggests, it is most often played by plucking the keys or tongues with the
thumbs while held in the hands.

GONGS:

Chinese Gong Brazilian Double Gong

Probably the oldest use of gongs was as a protective device against evil spirits. It
also makes an excellent signaling device and produces special effects in
ceremonies, rituals and musical pieces. The gong in the trunk is from China. It is
made of brass and should be beaten with a mallet. Strike the gong in the center for
the best sound.

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Membranophones (Drums)

No one knows the origin of drums. They were probably used in some form long
before they were discovered in archaeological sites during the Neolithic. The early
forms were struck with the hand. Drums have played an important role in many
cultures. They have been used in rituals, ceremonies, to send messages, etc.

Cochiti Drums - Southwest Pueblo:

The drums made by the people of Cochiti Pueblo are well-known in the Southwest,
and are often used by other pueblos in their ceremonies and dances. Cochiti drums
are made of either mountain cottonwood (preferably dead and semi-hollow) or
aspen wood. The drumheads are made of cow or horsehide, which is soaked, dried
and scraped. If a drum has two "voices", or tones, two different thicknesses of hide
have been used for each head. Ceremonial drums always have two voices. (The
drum in the suitcase, like most commercial drums made at Cochiti, has only one
voice.)

Rattle Drum (Double-headed Clapper drum) - Kenya

The drum in the trunk is a child's toy which was purchased in Kenya. However,
this style of drum probably originated in the Far East. It is known as a rattle drum,
combining the elements of both the rattle and the drum. Percussion is made by
impact of the balls on the ends of the knotted cords with the drumhead. A simple
twirling suffices to sound the membrane.

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Asian Finger Tambourine-Clapper:

Possible origins include the following:

1. During the Shang Dynasty the Chinese placed and suspended votive
objects in the interior of drums.
2. In ancient Japan, Shamans used both drums and rattles and perhaps both
were combined into a single instrument for ritual use.

Today uses include:

1. Played by itinerant vendors in China to attract customers.
2. Child's toy
3. In India and Tibet, beggars, snake charmers, gypsies and jugglers
play a miniature form.

Chordophones (Harps):

The harp in the suitcase is from Kenya. The resonating chamber is covered with
animal skin, probably cow. Their history goes back at least 5,000 years to ancient
Egypt and Sumeria.

Aerophones

Bullroarer:

The bullroarer is a universal noise-maker and has been found in the Americas
(among the Eskimo, Kwakiutl, Arapaho, Navajo, Ute, Pomo, and the Pueblo
Indians). Oceania (New Zealand and Australia), Africa (along the Congo),

12
Europe (England), and the Mediterranean Region (Greece). When the bullroarer
is whirled about one's head, it produces a "roaring" or whizzing sound. This
sound is caused by the currents of air pushing against the edge of the instrument.
It varies from six inches to two feet in length and two to five inches in width.
Among the Navajo and Hopi, it is made of wood obtained from a lightning-split
tree.

The bullroarer is used mainly for ceremonies. Often it is used to alert people of
an upcoming ritual. It is, among the Hopi, used to invoke clouds, thunder, and
rain. In more humid areas, it is used as a prayer to the wind god for fairer
weather. Prehistoric bullroarers have been found here in the Southwest in both
Anasazi and Hohokam sites. These specimens are made of both wood and bone.
The Hopi often decorated their bullroarers with lightning symbols. Our
bullroarer is a Hopi bullroarer from Old Oraibi.

Flutes

The archaeological evidence for flutes shows up in the Paleolithic. The first
flutes were made from hollow bird bones, bamboo, wood and clay. Flutes
without holes were probably signal instruments. Like the other instruments, they
had magical, ritual and ceremonial uses. Flutes occur in folklore such as the Pied
Piper of Pan.

Vessel Flutes
The Ecuador fish figure whistle is an
example of a vessel flute. Gourds and
coconut shells probably were first used
for this type of flute. When a hollow
gourd is held at the mouth during singing
or speaking the sound is distorted. Clay
flutes modeled in the shape of animals or
flowers have been found throughout
ancient Central America.

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 Panpipes
Panpipes have been made from a wide
variety of materials such as hollow bird
bones, bamboo, wood stone etc. No
matter what the material, all panpipes are
a series of hollow tubes tuned to a scale
and tied vertically together. According
to one story, panpipes were invented by
the god, Pan. He was in love with the
nymph Syrinx. As he pursued her, she
fled to the river Ladon. In order to
escape him she transformed herself into
a reed. Pan unable to distinguish her
from the other reeds, cut several at
random and formed them into a panpipe.

Source: Marcuse. Sibyl. A Survey of Musical Instruments. New York. NY. Harper and Row. 1975.

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 TEACHING IDEAS
FOR
DOCENT PRESENTATIONS

By: Dr. Ellen McCullough-Brabson

Assistant Professor, University of New Mexico

“Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember. Involve me, I understand.” –Ancient Chinese Proverb

Objectives (students will):

1. Experience the music of a variety of cultures through singing, listening, moving, and
playing instruments.
2. Develop an understanding of and an appreciation for folk instruments and music from
around the world.
3. Examine a variety of folk instruments and how they are played and constructed.
4. Discuss how folk instruments and music are used in different cultures.
5. Categorize musical instruments into four families; idiophones, membranophones,
aerophones, and chordophones.
6. Recognize that cultural diversity is a cause for celebration.

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Concepts:
1. Music is a part of all cultures.
2. Music may have a utilitarian, recreational, or social function.
3. Feelings and emotions can be expressed through singing, moving to music, and
playing instruments.
4. Each instrument has a distinctive tone color.

Overview:

"The Navajo say that in ancient days a song was born from the tears of the earth mother. Her son,
who was to become one of the great heroes of the Navajo, had grown up and had left her. In her
loneliness she began to cry. As she cried, her weeping became music." This is just one of many
stories and myths that attempt to explain the origin of music. Although there are many theories,
the question "What was the first music?" has no definitive answer.

Perhaps the human body was the model for music and musical instruments. The voice was a
source of laughter, crying, and language. Were wind instruments a natural extension? The human
body supplied the energy to create sounds, as well as a large membrane to resonate sound. Were
primitive instruments used to imitate the body? Did a man stretch an animal skin across a hole in
the ground and beat it? Did a shepherd boy pick a reed and blow across or into it? Did a hunter
pluck a bow string? Or were animals and birds, such as the lion, eagle, raven, frog, or deer the
first musicians? The answers to these questions remain a mystery. However, an examination of
where instruments were found, what materials they were made of, when they were developed, and
how they produced sound all provide interesting clues.

Folk instruments from around the world may be classified in a variety of ways. One criterion is
the materials used for their construction. The natural environment played an important role. In
fact, the Chinese grouped instruments according to the eight materials from which they were
made: metal; stone; earth; skin; silk; gourd; bamboo; and wood. Another system organized
instruments according to how their sound was produced. In India, a system was developed that
divided instruments into four groups: cymbals, gongs, bells, and the like; drums; strings; and
winds. A similar system is used in the Western world. There are idiophones (self-sounding
instruments where the whole body vibrates to produce the sound); membranophones (a vibrating
membrane produces the sound); chordophones (a vibrating string produces the sound) and
aerophones (a vibrating air column produces the sound).

An examination of folk instruments invites many other interesting questions. For example, is the
instrument male or female? Are instruments played by one sex or another? Are magical powers
associated with an instrument? Is the player of the instrument also the maker? What is the musical
function of the instrument?

Folk music and folk instruments are used in a variety of ways. In some cultures, the main value is
entertainment, music for its own sake. However, music may also have a utilitarian function.
There are work songs, social songs, life cycle songs, religious songs, weather songs, and songs
that are used to settle arguments. Regardless of its function, music is a vital part of being human.
In many instances, like the Navajo say, it is a "cry from the earth."

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 I. Warm-Up Activities (Select One):

A. “Movin' and Groovin'”:

1. Play a recording of "La Bamba" and have the students match your movements to the
steady beat. Be brave! Try a variety of fun motions. Stay on one movement long enough
to provide a chance for all students to master it.
2. Ask the students:
1. If they recognized the song
2. What type of music is La Bamba? (Answer: Latin American)
3. What do you want to do when you hear "La Bamba? (Answer: Dance. It is used for
entertainment.)
4. Can you think of other ways music is used?
5. What instruments were playing La Bamba?
6. Were they folk instruments or contemporary instruments? (Answer:
Contemporary)
7. What is a folk instrument? (Answer: Traditional instrument of a culture)

Note: You may want to use paper plates for this activity. Each student will receive two paper
plates and will move to the beat of "La Bamba."

Conclusions: Music may be used in a variety of ways, depending on the culture. Folk instruments
are traditional instruments of a culture. Sound may be produced from a variety of sources.

B. Music, the international language:

1. Play a recording of eight brief musical examples and have the students identify what
instrument is playing and what culture or area of the world it may be from. Use pencil and
paper, if the students have them, or play one example at a time and ask for feed-back.
2. Discuss the question, is music a universal language or a universal response? (Answer: A
universal response. Even if we cannot "speak" the musical language, we can have a
meaningful reaction.)

Conclusions: See above.

II. Origin of Music Instruments

A. Stories of the first musical instruments

1. Demonstrate drums from the Folk Instrument Trunk (ex. Double-headed clapper drum -
Kenya; double-headed drum and stick beater- Cochiti.)
2. Tell the tale "How Tribe-Boy Made a Drum." (See attached story.)
3. Discuss: Instruments that produce sound by striking a membrane are called
membranophones (show visual- membranophone.)
4. Demonstrate wind instruments from the Folk Instrument Trunk (ex. Bamboo flute -
Africa; bamboo reed flute-Jamaica; clay vessel whistle- Ecuador.)
5. Tell the tale "Fire Brand Makes a Signal Horn."

17
 6. Discuss: Instruments that produce sound by blowing into an air column are called
aerophones (show visual- aerophone.)
7. Demonstrate string instruments from the Folk Instrument Trunk (ex. Folk harp- Kenya.)
8. Discuss: Instruments that produce sound by vibrating a string are called chordophones.
(Show visual- chordophone.)
9. Demonstrate idiophones from the Folk Instrument Trunk (ex. wrap- around- leg pellet
bells- India.)
10. Discuss: Instruments that are self-sounding are called idiophones (show visual-
idiophone.)
11. Play "The Instrument Game." Directions: Demonstrate a variety of instruments from the
Folk Instrument Trunk and have the students classify the instrument correctly.

III. How is music used?

A. Africa
1. Locate Africa on a world map.
2. Show African instruments from the Folk Instrument Trunk. (Bamboo flute; African
rattle; double sanza - Kenya; double-headed clapper drum - Kenya; and folk harp-
Kenya.)
3. Show African pictures.
4. Discuss how music is used in Africa. (Select one of the following examples.)
a. "Sholoshaloza" - song of greeting from South Africa. The language is Zulu-
Xosa. Source: Marsh, Mary Val,et.al. Afro-American Music. New
York:MacMillan, 1980,p. 8.
b. "Dipidu"- song of greeting from Uganda. Source: Crook Elizabeth, et. al.
Music. Morristown, New Jersey: Silver Burdett, 1981, Grade 2, p. 93.
c. "Che Che Koolay” - game song from Ghana. Source: Sharon, Lois, and Bram:
Smorgasbord. Elephant Records, LFN 7902.

Instructions: Follow-the-leader game,

1. Che che koolay (touch head)
2. Che che koofee sa (touch shoulders)
3. Koofee sa langa (touch waist)
4. Kata chee langa (touch knees)
5. Koom a day day (touch toes) Repeat!

Note: During the instrumental interlude section, do “free motions.”

d. "Muvili Zuma Zuma" - A drying chant from the Chindau People in East Africa.
Source: Choate, Robert, et. al. Investigating Music. New York: American Book
Company, 1980, p. 55.
e. "Bambo Lao" - A Congo_ Work Chant. Source: Marsh, Mary Val, et, al. Afro-
American Music. New York: MacMillan, 1980, pp. 8&9.

Teaching suggestions:

18
 Have the students clap the "call" pattern: "Mango," The song is sung by people while
they are sawing wood.

B. China
1. Locate China on a map.
2. Show Chinese instruments from the Folk Instrument Trunk (Gong.)
3. Discuss how music is used in China. (Select one of the following examples.)
a. "The Boatman's Chantey" - boat song from China. Source: Marsh, Mary Val, et. al.
Music of the Orient. New York: MacMillan, 1980, Grade 2, p. 180.
b. "Wagon Driver’s Song"- work song from China. Source: Marsh, Mary Val, et. al.
Music of the Orient. New York: MacMillan, 1980, p.14.
4. Show Chinese instrument pictures.
5. Illustrate a "home-made" gong.

C. Native America
1. Show Native American instruments from the Folk Instrument Trunk (Hopi bullroarer,
Pueblo wrap-around-leg deer hoof rattle, Taos wrap-around-ankle pellet bells, Pueblo
wooden rasp and stick, and Cochiti double-headed drum and stick beater.)
2. Discuss how Native American music is used. (Select one of the following examples.)
a. "Shi Naasha" – social song and dance used frequently in the Navajo Enemy Way
Ceremony. Source: Music of the Sioux and Navajo. Ethnic Folkways Library, FE
4401
b. "Comes the Rain,"- Native American chant. Source: Source: Boardman, Eunice, et.
al. The Music Book. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1981, Grade 3, p.108.

D. Latin America
1. Locate Latin America on the map.
2. Show Latin American instruments from the Folk Instrument Trunk. (Ecuador - clay vessel
whistle; Peru - rodent effigy rattle; Mexico - maracas; Brazil- double-gangue with striker;
Cuba- castanets,)
3. Discuss how music is used. Play the game “Al Citron." Source: Sharon, Lois and Bram: In
the Schoolyard. Elephant Records.

E. Extensions-Make homemade ''folk" instruments

A. "From Out of the Fire"

"When the world was new and the first people had been formed out of clay, a great serpent came
up from the ocean. The people made a circle of brushwood and the serpent coiled his body inside
it. Then the people set the brushwood on fire. When the fire got hot, the serpent exploded and
scattered. Inside his body were all languages, all customs, and all songs. As a result of the fire
these were strewn across the land. This is why people today speak different languages and sing
different kinds of songs."

As you listen to folk instruments and music from around the world, enjoy the unique and
wonderful sounds you hear. They are, indeed, a cause for celebration.

19
Footnotes:
1. John Bierhorst. A cry from the Earth: Music of the North American Indians. (New York:
Four Winds Press, 1979), p.12
2. Ibid. p. 13.

Classroom Teacher Follow-Up:

1. Have the students write their own stories of how a folk instrument was created.
2. Have the students make their own "folk" instrument(s.)
3. Have the students listen to a variety of folk music from around the world and
identify how it is used in each culture examined.
4. Have the students create a piece of music with their homemade folk instruments.

20
 Selected Bibliography

1. Baines, Anthony, ed. Musical Instruments through the Ages. USA: Penguin Books, Inc.,
1961.

2. Banek, Reinhold, and Scoville, Jon. Sound Designs: A Handbook of Musical Instrument
Building. California: Ten Speed Press, 1980.

3. Bierhorst, John. A Cry from the Earth: Music of the North American Indians. New York:
Four Winds Press, 1979

4. Boulton, Laura. Musical Instruments of World Cultures. New York: Intercultural Arts
Press, 1972.

5. Britten, Benjamin, and Holst, Imogen. The Wonderful World of Music. New York:
Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1968.

6. Buchner, Alexander. Musical Instruments: An Illustrated History. London: Spring Books,

1964.

7. Carlin, Richard. Man’s Earliest Music. New York: Facts on File Publication, 1987.

8. Edgerly, Beatrice. From the Hunter’s Bow. New York: G.P. Putnan's Sons, 1942.

9. Hofmann, Charles. American Indians Sing. New York: The John Day Company, 1967.

10. Hood, Mantle. The Ethnomusicologist. New York: McGraw-Hill Book

11. Company, 1971.

12. Keynton, Tom. Homemade Musical Instruments. New York: Drake Publishers, 1975.

13. Merriam, Alan P. The Anthropology of Music. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern

University Press, 1964

14. Romney, Emily. Musical Instrument Recipe Book. New York: Webster Division,
McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1971.

15. Sachs, Curt. The Wellsprings of Music. Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff, 1962

21
How Tribe-Boy
Made a Drum
A Mysterious Voice

Tribe-Boy did not look like the boys of today. He had long, shaggy
hair; his fingernails were heavy and sharp, like claws; his skin was
tanned and coarse.

Instead of a suit such as boys today wear, Tribe-Boy wore the

striped skin of a great snake hanging from one of his shoulders.
The other tribeschildren wore skins of animals. On one was the
spotted skin of a hyena; another wore the grayish-yellow skin of a
jackal. Some wore short skirts of woven rushes. All were
barelegged, with sandals of hide in place of shoes.

At night, the tribeschildren slept in caves. For food they ate berries
and nuts and flesh of wild beasts that the men of the tribe killed.
They tore the flesh into bits with their strong fingers. They gnawed
the bones with their sharp teeth.

Sometimes the tribespeople would have a feast. While the meat

cooked in an open fire, the young men of the tribe would dance in
a circle around it. The women of the tribe kept time for the
dancers. They clapped their hands and beat sticks together. This
was their only music.

Then, quite by chance, the first great drum was made, and Tribe-
Boy found out that it could furnish music for the dancers. This is
how it came about:

The tribesmen had speared a large antelope. The tribeswomen

wanted the strong skin to make sandals for the tribeschildren.
With sharp stone tools they scraped off the hair. Then the skin had
to be dried out. Where should they stretch it?

22
Source: Unknown.

Nearby was a big hollow stump that the tribeswomen used for a
barrel. Into it they put food they wished to keep; they covered the
food with small stones to keep it safe from squirrels and other
animals. That day the hollow stump was empty. Its edges had
become worn and smooth. It would make a good drying frame.
The tribeswomen spread the skin over it, and with strong sinews
they tied stone weights to the corners to hold it in place.

Day after day the sun took up the moisture from the skin.
As it became dry, it grew smaller, but the weights still held it.
Soon it was very tight across the top of the stump.

One afternoon the women were roasting a wild boar. Back from
the fire, the men sat around the tribal chief. The chief was very
old, but he was still tall and straight. His eyes were keen and
bright. The tribesmen knew that he was wise and clever. It was he
alone who should wear the splendid striped skin of the jungle
tiger; it was he alone, of all the tribe, who should have the bright
feather of the flamingo for his headdress.

The tribeschildren were playing about the hollow stump. Tribe-

Boy was with them. The tribeschildren liked his games. He was
much more clever than they. He was tall and straight like the
chief. Tribe-Boy was proud of his strong arm “See," he said, “It is
so that I killed the big snake!" He raised his stick for a great
stroke. As it came down, it struck the tight skin across the hollow
stump.

Boom! The sound echoed through the jungle! Tribe-Boy sprang

back from the stump. The tribeschildren cried out in terror. The
tribesmen and women came running to find out what the great
sound might be. The children could not tell them. They pointed to
the stump. They pointed to Tribe-Boy.

23
The old chief asked him questions. "What made the loud
cry?'" But Tribe-Boy could only tell that the great voice had
come from the hollow stump. Some strange wild creature
must be biding there. At last, to show the old chief, Tribe-Boy
again brought the stick down on the stretched skin.

Boom!

The children shrieked and ran to their mothers. The men

grasped their spears and clubs and formed in a line between
the women and the crying stump. They were sure that some
fierce beast was crouching there under the skin. They stood
waiting for it to spring out upon them. But the skin did not
move. There was no sound from the hollow stump.

After a while the men came closer. They saw the stone
weights that held the skin in place. The strange beast was
trapped! Then there was great rejoicing. The young men
danced to celebrate the capture of the loud-voiced animal. As
they passed the stump some of the most daring struck the skin
to make the creature cry out. At this the children covered their
ears; the old men shook their heads; the women were too
frightened to clap for the dancers.

Back from the others, beside the old chief, Tribe-Boy stood
watching. Suddenly he had an idea. Grasping his stick, he
sprang through the circle. He bounded close to the stump. He
struck the skin, and the voice boomed in answer. Tribe-Boy
stood his ground. He struck the skin time after time, and time
after time, to each stroke, the voice answered.

The men stopped their dance to watch. The children stopped

their crying to listen. The eyes of the old chief followed every
motion of Tribe-Boy's stick.

Then Tribe-Boy began to beat in rhythm as he had heard the

tribeswomen clap for the dancers. And the voice answered in
rhythm, time and again, "Boom, boom-boom-boom! Boom,
boom-boom-boom!”

24
Fire-Brand
Makes a Signal Horn
A Story of the First Horn

Fire-Brand lived in times long past when there were no fences

and no boundaries to tell who owned which piece of land.
There were only the forests, where Fire-Brand lived, and the
great, wide, open spaces.

Fire-Brand, though only a boy, was tall and strong. He could

run fast and could throw a stone so straight it never missed the
hungry bear that frightened the tribe children.

One day, while the men of the forest were away on a hunt,
strange men from the hills came into the forest. They were
after the stone tools of the forest tribe. And they wanted to
carry away the forest children to be their slaves.

The women cried out at these cruel, wild men, but the forest
men were too far away to hear. Fire-Brand called the other
tribe boys to help him drive the robbers away. The boys threw
big stones at the robbers, and the frightened women joined in
defense of the camp.

At last the fierce men of the hills were driven away. But they
took the forest chief’s stone ax and the warm animal-skin
clothing.

When the forest men heard the story, they were afraid the
robbers would come again. So they gathered a great pile of
stones and broke off strong branches to be used as clubs. For
many days they hunted near the camp so they could hear if the
women cried out for help. But after a while the hunting
became poor, and the tribesman knew they must go farther
away to find food.

Source: Unknown.

25
On the morning they left, the chief asked Fire-Brand to take
care of the women and children. So Fire-Brand sat on guard
beside the pile of stones. His mother brought him water and
the hollow horn of a wild ox.

Fire-Brand drank the water and then laid the horn beside him.
A big stone rolled down from the pile and broke off the tip of
the horn. Sadly, Fire-Brand picked up his broken drinking
horn. There were plenty of goat horns about the camp, but this
horn was a smooth, long one. He had polished it inside and out
with sand and pebbles.

He turned the horn in his hands, trying to think of a way to

mend it. Could he plug the hole? He forced a small sand stone
into the broken tip. But water had softened the horn. The
broken tip spread, and the pebble fell out.

Some of the broken bits of horn stuck to the inside, and Fire-
Brand put the horn to his lips to blow them away. When he
blew, there came a call—very faint, just a strange little sound.
It seemed to say, “Blow harder! You may hear more.” Again
he put his lips to the horn, pressing them against the tip.

While Fire-Brand had been working with his broken horn,

robbers crept into the forest. This time they came armed with
clubs.

Just as the women cried “Robbers!” Fire-Brand blew very hard

into the hollow horn. The strange call echoed through the
forest. The robbers stopped, fearfully. Away in the deep
woods the tribesmen heard the sound. Fire-Brand leaped upon
the pile of stones and blew again, still harder.

“B-L-A-R-E! Beware!”

The robbers thought Fire-Brand was some sort of man, with a

voice like that of a jungle lion. They turned and ran away.

When the forest men got back to the camp, they gathered
around Fire-Brand. Again and again, they asked him to blow
into the horn.

26
27
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Education Division Maxwell Museum of Anthropology UNM 277-2924

DATE:
TIME:
CONTACT NAME:
ORGANIZATION:
DOCENT NAME:

Teacher Objectives (students will):

 Experience music of various cultures by listening, singing, dancing and playing
instruments.
 Examine a variety of folk instruments and how they are constructed and played.
 Discuss how folk instruments and music are used in different cultures.
 Categorize musical instruments into four families.

Vocabulary (This list will help you prepare your students for the visit.):

 Folk music- music originating or traditional with the common people of a country or
region and typically reflecting their lifestyle

 Aerophone- sound is produced by a vibrating column of air

 Chordophone- sound is produced by vibrating strings

 Ideophone- sound is produced by vibrations of the entire body of the instrument

 Membranophone- sound is produced by a vibrating membrane

Equipment (please have ready):

 A large empty table near a chalkboard and power outlet.
 A tape recorder.

Information:
 Size of Group 10-35
 The docent will call prior to the visit.
 Please have a student meet the docent at the school entrance to help carry the trunk.
 The teacher is responsible for classroom behavior and required to be
present during the visit.

If date or time changes need to be made notify the Education Assistant at 277-
2924. Visits are arranged for single classes. If another teacher wishes to
schedule a presentation, please have them phone the Education Assistant.

28
Rainstorm

Teacher/Docent gives an "eye" cue to each participant for each motion. Start at 100% attention
from the group. Practice the thunder claps ahead of time.

1. Wind - rub hands together.

2. Raindrops - snap fingers randomly.
3. Pat thighs.
4. Stomp feet.
5. Thunder claps (clap hands 2x).
6. Stop feet/only pat thighs.
7. Snap fingers
…Fade out.

Suggestions:

 Practice first in front of a mirror - think through the motions

 Could also tape record - it should sound like a REAL RAINSTORM!!!!

Good Luck!

MES
1988

29
How to ma k e a

Bolang Gu

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
A bolang gu is a traditional Chinese pellet
drum, noisemaker, and toy. A pellet drum has two
heads and two pellets attached to the drum by a
cord. Twisting the instrument causes the pellets
to hit the drum in a rhythmic fashion.

Above:
Bolang Gu, Tibet, 1925-1968,
Maxwell Museum 68.59.204

Materials
Materials Needed:
• empty cardboard tape roll
• two cardboard circles
• a chop stick, pencil or other straight stick
• heavy craft string about 20" in length
• two beads, buttons, small metal washers, or bolts
• craft paper
• Duck tape, electrical tape, or any
thick colored tape
• glue stick
• scissors
• pencil
• Phillips head screwdriver, awl or
electric drill (for adult use only)

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
Instructions
1) Prepare two cardboard circles by
tracing around the tape roll on some
cardboard from an old desk calendar,
cereal box or cracker box and cut them out.

2) Using the awl, screwdriver, or electric

drill (for adult use only), make holes
in the center of the tape roll 90°, 180°
and 270° from the top.

3) Insert the chopstick into the bottom

hole and push it up until it reaches
the top of the tape roll.

4) Tie the string around the chopstick

in the center of the tape roll and string
each end through the holes on each side.

5. Tie each bead to the ends of the string

so that each bead will reach to the
center of the tape roll.

6. Use the cardboard circles to trace circles

on the craft paper and cut them out.

7. Glue the cardboard circles on each

side of the tape roll.

8. Wrap a piece of tape along the edge

of the tape roll up to the point of each
cardboard circle. Press down firmly.

9. Glue the craft paper to the cardboard

circles on each side of the tape roll.

10. Your drum is now finished! Twist it

back and forth or roll the chopstick
between your palms to play it.

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

How to ma k e A
Rain Stick

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
A Rainstick is a kind of rattle that when slowly
turned will sound like rain falling. These
instruments are common in countries of Central
and South America and used by people that live
in deserts. Traditionally they are made from a
hollow cactus, punctured with cactus spines and
filled with pebbles or seeds.

Materials
Materials Needed:
• 19 inch cardboard mailing tube 2”
diameter with lids
• approximately fifty 2” nails
• hammer, mallet or hammerstone
• a handfull of beads, aquarium gravel,
small pebbles, etc.
• markers or crayons

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
Instructions
1) Randomly hammer the nails all
around the tube about 1-2 inches
apart.

2) Close one end of the tube with the lid.

Fill the tube with the beads. Close the
other end with the other lid.

3) Decorate the tube as desired.

4) Your rainstick is complete and

ready to make beautiful music!

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

How to ma k e

Maracas

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
Maracas are a type of rattle used in music mak-
ing and celebrations. Generally they are made
from a gourd with a stick attached. Small seeds or
pebbles inside will make the sound when the instru-
ment is shaken. Maracas are very popular in Latin
and Afro-Carribean music.

Materials
Materials Needed:
• small plastic water bottle with lid or
small plastic bulb ornament
• small wooden clothes pin about 3.5"
in length or a pencil or other narrow
stick
• Phillips head screwdriver
• a palm-full of beads, aquarium gravel,
small pebbles, etc.
• decorative tape

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
Instructions
1) If using a small plastic water bottle, start
by making a hole in the lid with the screw-
driver just big enough for the stick to fit in.

2) If using a plastic ornament, wrap enough

tape around the top of the stick so
that it fits tightly into the ornament.

3) Fill the bottle or ornament with a palm-

full of beads, gravel, or small pebbles.

4) Attach the lid to the bottle or insert

the stick into the ornament.

5) Wrap some decorative tape around

the stick. Use the tape to affix the
stick to the ornament.

6) Your maracas are complete and ready

to make beautiful music!

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

27
Rainstorm

Teacher/Docent gives an "eye" cue to each participant for each motion. Start at 100% attention
from the group. Practice the thunder claps ahead of time.

1. Wind - rub hands together.

2. Raindrops - snap fingers randomly.
3. Pat thighs.
4. Stomp feet.
5. Thunder claps (clap hands 2x).
6. Stop feet/only pat thighs.
7. Snap fingers
…Fade out.

Suggestions:

 Practice first in front of a mirror - think through the motions

 Could also tape record - it should sound like a REAL RAINSTORM!!!!

Good Luck!

29
Lulu ready for the rain!
How to ma k e a

SISTRUM

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
A sistrum is an ancient Egyptian percussion
instrument made from a looped metal frame
set in a handle and fitted with loose crossbars
and jinglers that rattle when shaken. It was
often used in processions and rituals by
musicians and priests or priestesses. Today,
sistrums are used in Coptic Christian Church
ceremonies and are commonly seen in Ethiopia.

Right:
Queen Nefartari with sistrum
Abu Simbel Temple Complex, Egypt
New Kingdom: c. 1264 - 1244 BCE
Laban66derivative work: Oltau / Public domain

Materials
Materials Needed:
• metal wire coat hanger
• narrow cardboard tube or straw, 6” long
• Hathor images
• Scrap cardboard (non-corrugated)
• 16–18 gauge craft wire, 15–20” long
• 9–12 jinglers (old keys, soda can pop
tops, metal washers, buttons, bells, etc)
• pencil, scissors and glue
• markers or colored pencils
• tape

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

W h at i s i t ?
Instructions
1) Straighten or remove the hook of the
hanger and shape the remainder into
an oval shape as shown.

2) Cut the cardboard tube long enough

to fit over the wire and enclose the
handle.

3) Cut the craft wire into 3 lengths that

will span the top space of the sistrum.
Wrap one end of the wire on one side,
then string on 3-4 jinglers, then wrap
the other end of the wire to the other
side.

4) Repeat with the other two wire pieces.

Use tape or rubber bands to secure
the crossbar wires in place if necessary.

5) Color and cut out the Hathor image.

Trace the Hathor image on to the
cardboard and cut it out.

6) Glue the Hathor face on to the card

board. Decorate the cardboard handle
as desired, or use a strip of paper to
decorate and glue onto the handle.

7) Attach the Hathor head to the sistrum

with tape.

8) Your sistrum is complete and ready

to make beautiful music!

http://maxwellmuseum.unm.edu/ (505) 277-2924

Lulu curious about Egyptian music Queen Nefartari with sistrum,
Abu Simbel temple complex, Egypt
Additional Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdp_Nj0tgk

Che Che Koolay video with music accompaniment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7RShxiWpQ0

Che Che Koolay video with La Garenne School international students and world instruments

https://www.mim.org/educator-resources/

Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ educator resources

https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/anthropology/sounds-of-the-silk-road2

Sounds of the Silk Road by the American Museum of Natural History

https://folkways.si.edu/lesson-plans/smithsonian

Smithsonian Folkways lessons plans on World Folk Music

https://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/learn/category/index/level-one/vjCERymxAIA/music.html

Shen Yun Performing Arts Musical Instrument sampler and musician videos

How to play the sistrum :: www.hathorsystrum.com - YouTube

Description and demonstration of playing an Egyptian sistrum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur-H7dP8FNc

Video describing the preservation of Abu Simbel temple complex

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendera_Temple_complex

Dendera Temple complex - Hathor temple

Lulu curious about world music and unable to make
heads or tails of this clay flute from Costa Rica!