Rustic Wooden Drum

This double-headed ceremonial drum called lamba,  is unique to the people of Sumba, an island in eastern Indonesia.  It is played during festival ceremonies such as funeral events.  Only one lamba is played at a time with the metal gongs as young men take turns beating out the dance rhythms.  The drum is made of two thick deer skin covered heads over a hollowed out chunk of log.  The side bindings of this  lamba consists of three rows of wooden wedges that  are interlocking/overlapping.  These wedges are used for tuning by pushing in to tighten or pulling out to loosen the tension on the drumheads.  A section of leather cord is also tied to the bamboo rings around the rims of the drumheads and functions as a loop for hanging the drum or as a handle when played in side.   Resource: “Instruments and Songs of Sumba, Indonesia: A Preliminary Survey,” Monni Adams, University of Texas Press, jstor.org. It also makes a great decorative piece. One of the wooden wedges is missing.