Origin: Western Sahara (the Kingdom of Morocco)
Dating: the 90’s of the 20^th century

The drum that you can see in front of you is unusual in its own way for several reasons - first of all, its membrane is made of leather, richly decorated with geometric patterns and a motif of human hands that clearly suggests that drumsticks should not be used to play this instrument. Secondly, the presented instrument is relatively too small compared to the drums traditionally used by the inhabitants of the Maghreb countries: it is only 11 cm high and 21.5 cm wide in diameter. Its third unusual feature is a semicircular, wooden body, which has been additionally covered with a factory-made fabric decorated with a floral pattern.

Traditional Moorish drums which are made of wood and covered with sheep or camel skin are named t'bal (or also: ṭbol, ṭbel, tobol, and in plural form: tbola). Under the name of this group, there are two types of drums -  drums with two diaphragms, that should be played with drumsticks and in a standing position (and which are most popular in areas from Tunisia to Morocco) and kettledrums, which body is made from a kind of semicircular bowl. The second type of drums is characteristic especially for the Saharavas (Sahrawas), the indigenous inhabitants of Western Sahara. Usually, those drums are quite large (about 50 cm in diameter), and their diaphragms are made out of furred animal skin. Commonly, bodies of those drums are also not decorated with fabrics.

In Mauritania, there is a special type of traditional music called el-hawl, which is usually played by iggâwen - a special kind of artist who combines the qualities of both musicians, singers, and storytellers. Traditionally, the iggâwen (singular form: iggiw) have served prominent social figures and political leaders, often developing a repertoire of songs of praise in their honor. They also played at important social events related, among others, to the celebration of birth or marriage.

In the hunting music of the Sahrawas, kettle drums are not symbols of power (unlike, for example, the Taurean male drum called ettebel) - in Mauritania it is mainly women belonging to Iggāwen professional musicians who accompany their singing with a drum or string harp, and sometimes with a daghumma gourd rattle. The ladies play the drums with their hands, while the gentlemen play the plucked lute. So maybe this beautifully decorated instrument that you are looking at belonged to one of the Moroccan iggiw?

Bibiliography:

P. AlZayer, Middle Eastern Dance, New York 2010, s. 45-46. Publikacja dostępna online na platformie Google Books, link: https://books.google.pl/books?id=rvagQ_5vTLkC&pg=PA45&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false [dostęp: 23.11.2021].

Saharawi music, [w:] www.sandblast-arts.org, link: http://www.sandblast-arts.org/saharawi-music.html, [dostęp: 23.11.2021].

T.K. Seligman, An Introduction to the Tuareg, [w:] Art of Being Tuareg – Sahara Nomads in a Modern World, Fowler Museum und Cantor Arts Center, Stanford 2006, s. 128; za: T’bol (hasło), [w:] www.second.wiki, link: https://second.wiki/wiki/t27bol#Kesseltrommeln [dostęp: 25.11.2021].

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The purchase is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport as part of the National Institute of Museums and Collections' own program "Expansion of museum collections".