![]() ![]() Used only on special occasions such as peace ceremonies to end a conflict or during wake, Kewin was kept out of sight in the men-only hut. This was because it took up to a year to produce a Kewin and the maker was rewarded with pigs and kina shells, the traditional currency. Kinsmen put on a party when Kewin was completed to celebrate the maker’s ingenuity and to welcome the new Kewin. The skill, the values and beliefs behind it were kept by individuals in clans who were respected by the tribe. The drum maker was known as Kerr and the role was inherited. Unlike most average kundu which feature lizard or snake skins, the Southern Highlanders solved Kewin’s peculiar mouth by turning to man’s best friend. Typically, Kewin was around 10 metres in length and had a large mouth that was covered in dog hide. ![]() We say ‘was’ because there was none in Mendi to be inspected. The noise level though is the same as that of the garamut and can be heard over some distance. Whilst the garamut sits on the ground, Kewin was not. Kewin was unique because it was the largest musical instrument of its kind and held by so many people. Kewin was designed like a kundu as opposed to its nearest rival (in terms of size), garamut, the slit log, found commonly in Sepik and some New Guinea islands. But the biggest of them all is Kewin of the Southern Highlands it was cradled by a dozen men and the thirteenth man beat it. The kundu or drum is common throughout Papua New Guinea they come in different shapes and sizes. Kewin – the goliath kundu of the Southern H’lands So for the Southern Highlanders it was more a case of pleasing the gods they made the walls of their huts with strong wood – Ugur – and used the same tree to produce the sacred kundu – Kewin. Smoke from bush fires and slash and burn agriculture build clouds in the sky. Over time, in the Anglican Church, the natives introduced the dried sap of a tree in the forest to achieve the same end when the white man’s incense ran out and future supplies could not be sustained. ![]() When white missionaries of the Anglican and Catholic faith introduced incense as part of their worship ritual, the sweet-smelling smoke was intended to drive away the presence of evil. Ugur bark was also used to line the wall of huts.ĭid the Ugur have sweet-smelling scent to please the gods? Yari Tebo of Mendi (the tribe), living at Tubiri did not say so he only said Ugur was a special wood as it was hardy. This was achieved by taking the bark of Ugur, the strong wood used in the making of Kewin the giant kundu), and building a huge bonfire. The people reversed their belief in calling rain by sending lots of smoke into the sky possibly to burn up and clear the skies for sun to show itself. ![]()
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