Der or Dong – Karen Drum 3

Every traditional Karen household owns a large bass drum, called der by the S’gaw Karen and dong by the Pwo Karen. Known as a waisted or hourglass drum because its body narrows in the middle, the der is carved from a single piece of hollowed hardwood that is frequently decorated with striking geometric motifs on its foot or body.

The der’s tympanum is covered with the skin of a water buffalo, cow, barking deer, or snake, which is laced along the its edges with strips of leather or rattan. This hide is then secured around the head by a latticework of ropes tied to a single tension rope, into which wooden wedges are lodged to keep the hide taut and tuned.

The drum’s timbre can be altered in a number of ways. Beating close to the rim creates a tight, crisp sound, while beating near the center produces a deep, lower-pitched tone. Lodging the wedges of wood deeper into the braided rope netting tightens the tympanum’s hide and thereby raises the drum’s pitch. Drummers can also place a small lump of beeswax at different points on the drumhead to change the tone quality, in particular, placing it in the middle to sharpen its sound.

With the der slung over one shoulder by a leather or hemp strap, male musicians are able to drum and dance at the same time.

Note: Interestingly, the tympanum of this small der is covered in barking deer hide that has been cleanly skinned on the striking area, but that retains the deer’s hair around the edges. Two concentric ornamental rings carved at the lower collar bear the resemblance of a Karen woman’s silver neck chokers.

The pulse of Karen percussion instruments—der drums, mong gongs, and chua cymbals—are most often heard with the calls of the kwae horn during jubilant occasions that welcome guests, mark seasonal festivals, and celebrate the union of a young couple. Weddings provide two or three days of non-stop music, launched as soon as the groom and his attendants arrive in the bride’s village. The entourage literally sings, dances, plays instruments, and toasts the groom all along the path to the bride’s home.

Ethnic Group: S’gaw Karen

Local Name: Der (Karen S’gaw) / Dong (Karen Pwo)

Type: Drum

Class: Membranophone

Tuning:

Age: Circa 1980

Materials: Hard wood, barking deer skin, cord, beeswax

Dimensions: 49.5 x18 dia. cm / 19.5″ x 7.25″ dia.

Location: Northwest Thailand

Owner / Instrument Maker:

Catalog Number: 6516