DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22469#0334
Six
Himalayan Times September 18, 1960
TALKING DRUMS STILL TRANSMIT MESSAGES
By K. P. Tamsang
The Lepohas, the
autochthonous of Darjae-
ling and Sikkim, with a
language ho comprehen-
sive; with maimers and
ouitoms, though primitive,
yet so immeaHureably
superior, ai to- entitle
them to rank among oivi-
liied nationa, nave to
this day a peculiar system
of broadcasting and trans
mitting news and messages
to thousands and thou-
sands of milea away
through their "Talking
Drums".
Thia talking drums
are oalled 'BA—NQO' and
are of two kinds, one
big and other of a smaller
size, the bigger is the
female and the smaller
is the male. They are of
a round and oblong shape
and are used in a diffe-
rent , way, eaoh drum
being beaten by its drum-
mer in a kind' of duet.
A pair of BA— NGO,
talking drums, when
placed in position, have
the 'male' on the right
and 'female' on the left
(unless the drummer is
left handed) with the
drums almost touching
eaoh other. The drummer
stands behind them, ex.
trading low tones from
the 'male' drum and high
tones from the 'female'.
The seoret is that
the drums transmit a
tonal language. The drums
give only the tones, the
number of syllables and
the punctuation accurate-
ly. The aotual vowels and
oonsonants can not be
transmitted.
There is probably no
great difficulty about what
kind of messages the'
expert drummer can
transmit, but his limita-
tion are very real when
it comes to the reading
of the message.
In praotioe, the drum-
mers confine themselves
to certain set pieces, with
which they are absolutely
familiar and which oover
all the important subjects
they would be likely to
find of praotical value—
the calling np of any
particular ohief by name;
warning of danger of
enemies attack; or floeds,
the death of a noted
individual, and the wonder
ful desoriptive pieoes
drummed at festivals and
ceremonies.
These peouliar Lepcha
talking drums have the
advantsgss oyer helio-
graph, semaphone, or sig-
nalling flags—especially
when some repairs are
required to keep the
transmitter working.
The Lepohas can trans-
mit their messages through
drums, across 1,000 miles
of the linguistio area as
rapidly as one oould
transmit a telegram.
As such the modern
scientific world should
admit that the use of
talking drums by tbe
Lepchas for transmitting
messages or item of news
is not as primitive as
many people might be-
lieve.
(Continued from pagt 2 )
tries, a certain new and
ohaiming cosmopolitanism
that in no way detracted
from their own genius
and personality, a new
poise and sureness; and
New Delhi ... that oity
whose moods and whims
I know and love so well ...
Mew Delhi has emerged
triumphantly and gaily,
yet with a becoming
modesty, as tbn Capital
of Aaia!
GET YOUR COPY
OF
ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY
SUNDAY STANDARD
READERS' DIGEST
BLITZ WEEKLY
FILM FARE
DHARMAYUG
CURRENT
and hundreds of other
Indian and Foreign
publications
from :
HIMALAYAN STORES,
KALIMPONG.
Himalayan Times September 18, 1960
TALKING DRUMS STILL TRANSMIT MESSAGES
By K. P. Tamsang
The Lepohas, the
autochthonous of Darjae-
ling and Sikkim, with a
language ho comprehen-
sive; with maimers and
ouitoms, though primitive,
yet so immeaHureably
superior, ai to- entitle
them to rank among oivi-
liied nationa, nave to
this day a peculiar system
of broadcasting and trans
mitting news and messages
to thousands and thou-
sands of milea away
through their "Talking
Drums".
Thia talking drums
are oalled 'BA—NQO' and
are of two kinds, one
big and other of a smaller
size, the bigger is the
female and the smaller
is the male. They are of
a round and oblong shape
and are used in a diffe-
rent , way, eaoh drum
being beaten by its drum-
mer in a kind' of duet.
A pair of BA— NGO,
talking drums, when
placed in position, have
the 'male' on the right
and 'female' on the left
(unless the drummer is
left handed) with the
drums almost touching
eaoh other. The drummer
stands behind them, ex.
trading low tones from
the 'male' drum and high
tones from the 'female'.
The seoret is that
the drums transmit a
tonal language. The drums
give only the tones, the
number of syllables and
the punctuation accurate-
ly. The aotual vowels and
oonsonants can not be
transmitted.
There is probably no
great difficulty about what
kind of messages the'
expert drummer can
transmit, but his limita-
tion are very real when
it comes to the reading
of the message.
In praotioe, the drum-
mers confine themselves
to certain set pieces, with
which they are absolutely
familiar and which oover
all the important subjects
they would be likely to
find of praotical value—
the calling np of any
particular ohief by name;
warning of danger of
enemies attack; or floeds,
the death of a noted
individual, and the wonder
ful desoriptive pieoes
drummed at festivals and
ceremonies.
These peouliar Lepcha
talking drums have the
advantsgss oyer helio-
graph, semaphone, or sig-
nalling flags—especially
when some repairs are
required to keep the
transmitter working.
The Lepohas can trans-
mit their messages through
drums, across 1,000 miles
of the linguistio area as
rapidly as one oould
transmit a telegram.
As such the modern
scientific world should
admit that the use of
talking drums by tbe
Lepchas for transmitting
messages or item of news
is not as primitive as
many people might be-
lieve.
(Continued from pagt 2 )
tries, a certain new and
ohaiming cosmopolitanism
that in no way detracted
from their own genius
and personality, a new
poise and sureness; and
New Delhi ... that oity
whose moods and whims
I know and love so well ...
Mew Delhi has emerged
triumphantly and gaily,
yet with a becoming
modesty, as tbn Capital
of Aaia!
GET YOUR COPY
OF
ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY
SUNDAY STANDARD
READERS' DIGEST
BLITZ WEEKLY
FILM FARE
DHARMAYUG
CURRENT
and hundreds of other
Indian and Foreign
publications
from :
HIMALAYAN STORES,
KALIMPONG.