Record Holding Log Drum in Manipur: Pride of the Inpui Naga

What is life without merrymaking? The definition of tribal life is incomplete without its dance and music and their everyday lives revolve around nature and therefore central to its existence. The Inpui Naga resides in the hills of Manipur whose social and cultural life is intricately linked to the mountain and hills surrounding them. For instance, their folklore and folktales are replete with stories of human close relationship with its immediate environment. Even though the people practiced subsistence farming which is jhum or slash and burn cultivation great care is taken while extracting natural resources from the thick forest. This practice has not only sustained the existence of the forest cover but gives continuity to the survival of the people. In order to celebrate life and the bounty therein provided by the forest and various musical instruments are used and many of them are produced indigenously whereas some were barter with the neighboring community like Meitei (valley people) for cymbals, bells, instruments whose materials were made of iron and steel as these resources are not available in the area. 

But apart from these imported materials, all other instruments were made by the people themselves. One of the most important instruments is the hollow log drums which are made of the finest trees in the village with the collective effort of the people. The most recent endeavor of such kind is the construction of 5.4 feet diameter, 16 feet circumference, 4.3 feet length record-breaking drum by the villagers of Haochong. The idea for the making of the new hollow log drum was initiated by Haochong Men Society (HMS), a society functioning under the Haochong Baptist Church. The drum was brought from its construction site in Tuikhui by Kraanmi (all male) including women society with much fanfare.

The hard work and farsightedness of the Haochong Men Society need to be lauded as this is not a mean achievement. The objective set in making this drum was to use it as an instrument in worshiping God and bring forth unity in the society through the use of it. Indeed this new drum which is under construction (yet to be completed as seen in the pictures) has given the villagers a new identity and pride to the villager. The process of making such a gigantic drum lasts for months. In order to make a drum, a particular tree is chosen and cut into a length size enough for a drum which is dug hollow and kept to be dried for some period of time. And finally, the two open sides are covered with animal hides particularly of cow or mithun (cattle) by tying it with cane or vine found in the forest. The drumstick is made of a stick wrapped with a cloth.

The environmentalist has raised concern about the rationale behind cutting down such a huge old tree and making a log drum just for the amusement of the people. As stated above the people practiced slash and burn cultivation based on a rotational basis (a common form of agriculture practiced in North East India) but they have a high sense of nurturing and conserving forest which can be emulated anywhere. The village has a certain reserved area of forest called Inmwan ramraak (land protected by the village) and Katang ramraak (meaning land protected by the youth) these areas of land are conserved and protected by the villagers and no human interference is allowed unless it is authorized by the village authority (the highest decision-making body).

The drum will be inaugurated for the public use in 2017 at Haochong.

Image courtesy: Noble Bariam