How the pahū pounamu makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the pahū pounamu belongs to the idiophones: the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
Taonga pūoro are the traditional musical instruments of the Māori people of New Zealand.
The instruments previously fulfilled many functions within Māori society including a call to arms, announcing the dawning of the new day, communications with the gods, and the planting of crops. They are significant in sacred rituals and also fulfill a story-telling role. Many of the sounds of the instruments and tunes are imitations of the sounds of nature, including the wind, the seas and the natural world of birds and insects.
Other idiophones
Frequently asked questions
What does a pahū pounamu sound like?
As one of the idiophones, its sound comes from the way the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
What type of instrument is the pahū pounamu?
It is classified as idiophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 110.15.20.56).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q130320768 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Taonga pūoro – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Schwede66 – CC BY-SA 3.0