Patpatar-Tolai · Papua New Guinea, Oceania
slit-log drum
IdiophoneSlit-log drum
Summary
Slit-log drumming system in the Namatanai district of Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland province, described in Börnstein (1916). Börnstein names only the village (Messi), not the language; however, the area is home to the Patpatar-Tolai languages and Patpatar specifically (Simons and Fennig 2017). The system is lexical/symbolic rather than abridging (Börnstein 1916:1181). Content includes long-distance communication; announcements of social events, arrivals, births and funerals, and official purposes.
Bibliography
Börnstein, E. (1976). 57. TROMMELSPRACHE UND MUSIK (VORLÄUFIGE MITTEILUNG). In Part 2 (pp. 1177–1198). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110804423-028