Musical Instruments

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Dawuro has very fascinating woodwind musical instruments namely ‘Dinka’, ‘His’is’iya’ and ‘Lokuwa’. It has the greatest contributions on mobilization of people for constructions of defensive walls and for keeping its frontiers in the past as well as for its advertisement at present times. ‘Dinka’is the most famous woodwind musical instrument among Dawuro, Konta, Gamo, Gofa, Wolayita and Basketo.

The band includes four longest woodwind musical instruments and a drum (Darbiya). It requires five men in a traditional musical band called ‘Koc’a’. The longest four-woodwind tools of ‘Dinka’ are ‘Lamiya’, ‘Hesiya’, ‘Oyitsiya’ and ‘Mara’. They make them from selected bamboo trees, horns of an ox or cow and antelope as well as skin of white goat as a cravat. Averagely, each of them has 3.8m, 3.5m, 3m and 2.8m lengths respectively.

Lamiya’ is the longest of all and termed as father who controls the rhythms of other members of dinka. ‘Hesiya’represents mother, while ‘Oytsiya’interconnects the rhythms one another by providing smart sound. ‘Mara’ is the smallest of all and serves as a boy by requesting others to help it. In past times, the fifth bassoon called ‘Zoha’was also a member of Kochaand was more than 4m long. However, the players used it with other dinka members but its role was insignificant. Besides, it is too long to manage and preserved in Dawuro cultural museum.

In Dawuro, the ‘Dinkkaa’ team known as ‘Koc’aa’. In this team, four men blow the longest woodwind bassoons and one-man beats drum (‘darbiya’) .The dinka players, guided by a drummer, blow different tunes in-group to orchestrate unique and fascinating rhythmsat.

Fella (wood wind)

Fella is one of the Derashe’s main traditional wind instruments made from bamboo. Based on its size and sound production it is categorized in to three types: from 70-50 cm length is called kasanetta, 50-20 cm length seplee, and 20-10 cm length fetefita. A full set of the instrument has 21 filla each of different length and sounds. Skilled men make them from selected bamboo plants. Usually a group of men and women each with filla instruments perform in regular rhythm.

Fella is played at social gatherings and cultural festivals like wedding, funeral ceremonies and during agricultural works. It also often performed on religious occasions and for entertainment as well.

Lulata (woodwind)

Another most popular Dirashe traditional wooden or horn made musical instrument like a trumpet. It is made in half meter and decorated with fur and beads. The maker and musician are skilled me. It is played during cultural festivals like traditional coronations and at funeral ceremonies. It also transmits messages from place to place.

Denky and Zye (bassoon) among the Gofa

Denky and Zye are four size wind wood musical instrument made from antelope horn and bamboo stalks, respectively. They are decorated with leather, fur and beads. Those who play these instruments have strong breathing capacity. Skilled men make these musical instruments. They are played at funerals, marriage, and coronation ceremonies and transmit messages from locality to locality.