The
UH Manoa Library presents two exhibits, Tau Rima Tahiti
and 'Ite 'Upa'upa, curated by ethnomusicology candidate
Scott
Bartlett,
in the Hamilton Library Bridge and Phase II Galleries from
March 2 to April 28, 2009.
Tau
Rima Tahiti: Crafting Performance showcases the craft
artists and the material artifacts of 'Ori Tahiti.
Examples of locally made costumes and instruments show how
artists preserve Tahitian traditions through craftsmanship,
innovation, creative use of resources, and the transmission
of knowledge.
Builders and makers construct these objects for the stage
production, but their craftsmanship
is
a performance in and of itself. The materials of Tau Rima
Tahiti celebrate these craftspeople and their central
role in preserving Tahitian culture.
‘Ite
‘Upa‘upa features the resources on Tahitian
performance are held in the Pacific Collection of Hamilton
Library. Developed collaboratively with Librarian Stuart Dawrs,
the exhibit highlights photos and books on Tahitian dance
and culture.
Ta'iri
Tō'ere: Drumming With the exception of 'aparima and 'ahupurotu,
'ori Tahiti is accompanied by the distinctive Tahitian drumming
ensemble. The head
drummer of the group invariably plays the lead to'ere slit drum.
Drumming music is comprised of a number of pehe {link forthcoming},
pre-established rhythmic patterns. Each pehe has a name and
corresponding part for each instrument.
Tō'ere
Today carvers and musicians recognize the best woods for the tō'ere
to be milo (Tahitian miro), tou, mara, and
kamani. Builders prize milo not only for its rich tone and ease
of carving, but for the dark color of the heartwood.The instrument
is played with a single tapered ironwood stick or ra'au.
Tō'ere by Tyrone Temanaha, Jr. | photo
1 | photo
2 Tō'ere Piti and ra'au by Tyrone Temanaha, Jr.
| photo Tō'ere by Miko Krainer | photo Tō'ere by Etua Tahauri | photo
1 | photo
2 Tō'ere by Gerard Tepehu | photo
Ceremonial Tō'ere | photo
Fa'atete
This small skin drum is played with two light sticks and enriches
the music with its high timbre. Drum ensembles may employ as many
as three fa'atete players, but they may each play several
drums in varying sizes.
Fa'atete
and pahu tari parau by KBS Instruments | photo
Pahu
Tupa'i Rima
The term pahu refers generally to any skin drum, but terminology
varies for this instrument: The
Tahitian term pahu tupa‘i rima is often contracted to
pahu tupa‘i, pahu ‘i rima, or simply tupa‘i.
Played standing and struck with the hands, the tupai sounds
an open and closed stroke, lending a rich lower body to the ensemble
sound. Like the fa'atete, the tupai is traditionally
carved out of coconut, milo, or some other wood, but increasingly
in Tahiti and Hawai'i, both are fashioned from bent plywood or even
PVC pipe.
Pahu
tupa‘i by Miko Krainer | photo Pahu tupa‘i by Mafatu Krainer | photo Pahu tupa‘i figurine by Mafatu Krainer | photo
Pahu/Tariparau
The double-headed rope-tensioned drum may be referred to as pahu
or tariparau. It was introduced to Tahiti from Europe,
but standardized early in the 20th Century. The lowest pitched instrument,
it provides the basic heartbeat of the pehe, and acts as
an accentuating bass drum for the string band of 'aparima.
Pahu
by Mafatu Krainer | photo Pahu by KBS Instruments | photo
‘Ihara
The fa'atete player attaches this horizontal length of split
bamboo to the drum, and plays it with the fa'atete sticks.
Vivo
The indigenous nose flute is featured most commonly during an introduction
or invocation.
For
'aparima and 'ahupurotu, the singing dancers are accompanied
by a string band which features guitar, 'ukarere, and a supporting
beat from the pahu. The Tahitian version of the 'ukulele
is most often called simply a banjo: it is carved from a single
piece of wood and features a separately attached wooden membrane.
Tō'ere
and the musical structure of Pehe Carved from a single piece of wood or bamboo, organologists
(those who study musical instruments) refer to the tō'ere
as a slit drum. By carving the distinctive slit in the tō'ere,
the thinner walls of the 'opu are free to resonate. The ends
of the instrument, left solid, emit a sharp, high-pitched tone when
struck. Though simple in construction, the skill of the tō'ere
player lies in the intricacy and speed of the pehe, the rhythmic
patterns.
Historically,
a number of various sized to'ere played in unison. Beginning in
Tahiti 10-15 years ago, the tō'ere divide into three
interlocking parts, known as 'oro'oro style. The basic part
names describe how they relate to the beat: muri (behind),
ropu (middle), and mua (ahead). Each pehe maybe be
played at a slow or fast tempo, which affects the the interaction
of the parts. To'ere and the other drums are traditionally
taught aurally, without written notation, but ethnomusicologists
may transcribe musical performances in order to analyze and understand
them better.
Below
are two version of the pehe called "pahae".
Try to follow each versionof the "pahae" on the
various transcriptions provided. Which one of them easier to understand?
Does the notation show you everything that you hear? Could you learn
to play this from the written notation alone?
