Instruments

In the picture you can see four of the
kids who are part of the Young San
Cultural Group.

In their hands are from left to right ...
can on a stick with some beans in it.
The girl on the left has the 'kaworoworo'.
I had a past blog article about it and
if you put kaworoworo in the search
field in the above right it should search
it out, if your interested.
The only thing I can add to my knowledge
of the kaworoworo is that by trying to
play it, I've found that as simple as it looks,
it takes some practice. So far, it appears
that I need a bit.

The next one is one of the new drums. In
fact, it is the big bass drum and you
can see in the middle of the drum's head
a black substance. That's from bees wax
and they put that on there to increase the
bass sound.

To the right the young girl has the '|'guru'
and again, there is a prior blog article
concerning it. Again, what I can add to my
knowledge of the |'guru is through my playing
it. This one is easier and you can see in the
girl's right hand what looks like a melon
skin. That has a little hole on the side of it
and there is a little piece of some type of
membrane over it. It plays best on the bare
stomach and it seems that it is something
that's played while someone is singing.

There are about two to three other instruments
that we need to get, plus also need to learn
how to play.

The second new drum's skin is already
destroyed. It only took a week so we have to
look for a new goat skin again. This time the
kids are going to pay for it. They have a little
fund they acquired from dancing for a few
tourists.

So the group's leader told them, you broke it,
you fix it.

The leader of the group is doing a good job
and is not only concerned with dancing and
performing but also the development of the
members character. Out here in the bush and
in this village, it is just so important.

But one thing I can say about the kids screwing
up the new drum ... well ... kids are kids no
matter where they are in the world.