Nrwit

Slit-log drumming system used by the Alamblak people of Sepik province in Papua New Guinea, described by Coulter (2007). The instrument itself a slit-log drum (nrwit in Alamblak). The language is not tonal, and the system is not based on Alamblak phonology. It consists of a formalized set of rhythms corresponding to the names of people, places, animals, and to messages such as You come here," and "I am here," etc. The system is combinatorial: "Once the constituent parts of a nrwit message are known, the message may be put together according to the grammatical rules of nrwit communication. The initial pattern will be the “awakening” strikes upon the instrument. Directly after that, the message will be “addressed” by playing the name of the location of the intended recipient. After the place name, the player will signal an individual’s name, and this is understood to be the name of the intended recipient. After the recipient’s name, the player signals his own nrwit name." (Coulter 2007 p. 96). Content includes long-distance communication, especially announcements of deaths and arrivals, as well as the names of people, clans, locales and animals. At the time of Coulter's description the system was of limited vitality, with few practitioners and only two frequently used signals (a call to church and a death announcement)."

Coulter, N. R. (2007). Music shift: Evaluating the vitality and viability of music styles among the Alamblak of Papua New Guinea [PhD Thesis]. Kent State University.