My friend Stefan
Thelen came to Sri Lanka from Germany. He’s a celebrated musician and of course
he wanted to check out where they make the famous Sri Lankan drums. And of
course, I had to tag along and see what was what.
The Sri Madura, Musical Instruments Maker,
in Matara (Southern coast) was the only drum maker our guide Nadasiri knew
about. When we walked in, there were goatskins tacked to boards everywhere. And
flies, too. Lots of them! Before that, I had never thought that a drum skin was
from an animal. I had actually never given it a second thought.
Inside the dimly
lit shop, people were measuring and making final touches to the skins before
they were placed onto the wooden drum. Stefan was in 7th heaven,
playing this drum and that drum. I was just trying to get a good photo under
the strange lighting circumstances.
Stefan finally
found the drum he was meant to have and began the process of bargaining for a
price. He came away happy and so did the drum maker.
Back at the hotel,
where I lived and Stefan stayed for a 3-week visit, we organized a drum fest
using a large raban drum, which is a drum that many people play. The skin has
to be heated to get a good sound and so a small fire is lit underneath the
raban. At times, while playing, it gets pretty smoky and my eyes would tear up,
making everyone laugh!
It takes full
concentration, at least for me, to get the beat right. The locals, who are
experts at drumming, play faster and faster and faster and I tried my best to
keep up with them, often tripping over my own hands. I loved it! So much so,
that I went back to the shop and bought a small raban to take back to the US for
my grandson.
Stefan checking out the many goat skins.
Skins drying in the hot Sri Lanka sun.
The drum maker's shop.
The drum maker at work.
Tacking the goat skin to a raban drum.
Stefan figuring out which sound he liked.
Stefan with his new drum.
Nadasiri (left) our guide and the hotel
gardener (in green), who is a fab drummer!
The gardener lights the fire to warm the skin.
People sit around the drum to play it.
Many hands!
Check out our Sri Lankan wedding photography, travel photography,
portrait photography, female photographers, commercial photography at our
website at: http://www.shadetreeSL.com
© ShadeTree Productions
No comments:
Post a Comment