Struck Gourd

Struck gourd system employed by the Idoma people of Nigeria, mentioned by Armstrong (1953). The instrument itself is a “long narrow gourd, open at both ends… [t]he larger end is struck against the thigh, and smaller end being either open or held closed” (875). This allows for “four distinct notes” (875). The language is analyzed as having three tone registers, L M and H. Armstrong analyzes the language to have three tonal registers, L M and H, and the system (as with other Idoma surrogate instruments) likely uses contrastive pitch to encode linguistic tones. The practice is mostly by women. It is an “intimate instrument for use in the home” (875); content includes “telling short stories to children” (875).

Armstrong, R. G. (1953). 46. TALKING INSTRUMENTS IN WEST AFRICA. In T. A. Sebeok & J. Umiker-Sebeok (Eds.), Speech Surrogates: Drum and Whistle Systems. 1976. (pp. 865–878). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110804423-017