Mang – Karen Bossed Gong

The Karen have a long and hallowed tradition of playing the klo oh tra oh, the hefty bronze ‘rain’ drum, to mark numerous sacred and secular events. Because their mang gong emits a resonant metallic timbre similar to the klo oh tra oh, they appear mostly during spontaneous outdoor celebrations, though less frequently than other ethnic groups.

Forged in various sizes as a rounded or flat disk with a turned rim and a central boss, the mang produces rich, penetrating tones that reverberate when a musician strikes it with a padded mallet. Each gong has a unique timbre determined  by its metallic content, be it bronze, brass, or other metal alloys that include nickel, silver, or iron.

The pulse of Karen percussion instruments—mang gongs, chua cymbals, and der drums—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: Karen

Local Name: Mang

Type: Bossed Gomg

Class: Struck Idiophone

Tuning:

Age: Mid-20th c.

Materials:
Gong: Bronze
Mallet: Wood, cloth

Dimensions: 2.5 x 22 dia. cm / 1 x 8.5″ dia.

Location: Thailand

Owner / Instrument Maker:

Catalog Number: 6550