Jaw harp (pepur)

Pepur (kekeit in Tetum) is a jaw-harp made of 10 cm to 14 cm of very thinly cut bamboo. To play pepur, one end is held against the performer's mouth and blown using the mouth as a resonator, the other hand pulls at a piece of string to create a note.

Photo: making the pepur from a thin slice of thin bamboo.

Pepur makes a thin, soft sound. Maria da Conceicao, maker and performer of the pepur in aldeia Nanafoe, sub-district Lospalos, tells that pepur songs 'critique a ruler's power'. For Miguel da Costa in aldeia Paijahara, sub-district Lospalos, pepur songs describe a historical or mythical event, where a big river rose to destroy local people, and where former rulers or village chief's that caused in-fighting amongst villagers, 'causing their community to become weak'. Respondents were taught to play by their male relatives, one reported being taught by his grandfather.

Photo: Maria da Conceiçaõ plays the pepur in aldeia Nanafoe, in sub-district Lospalos.

 
Video: Maria da Conceiçaõ playing the pepur.
 
 
Video: Pepur performed by Miguel da Costa, in aldeia Paijahara, sub-district Lospalos.
 
Pepur (kekeit dalam bahasa Tetum) adalah kecapi mulut yang terbuat dari bambu yang dipotong tipis dengan panjang 10 cm hingga 14 cm. Untuk memainkan pepur, salah satu ujung diletakan di mulut dan ditiup menggunakan mulut sbeagai resonator, tangan lainnya menarik seutas tali untuk membuat nada.

Pepur membuat suara yang tipis dan lembut. Maria da Conceica, pembuat dan pemain pepur di Desa Nanafoe, sub-distrik Lospalos, mengatakan bahwa lagu-lagu pepur adalah “kritik kuasa penguasa”. Bagi Miguel da Costa di Desa Paijahara, sub-distrik Lospalos, lagu-lagu pepur menggambarkan peristiwa sejarah atau kejadian mitos, mengenai sungai besar yang meluap dan menghancurkan penduduk lokal, atau kepala desa yang menyebabkan pertengkaran antar-penduduk, ‘menyebakan komunitas mereka menjadi lemah’. Responden diajarkan untuk bermain oleh kerabat laki-laki mereka, salah satu dari mereka mengaku diajari oleh kakeknya.

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