The jaw harp Karinding was originally an instrument that was closely linked to the Sundanese rice cultivation in the west of the Indonesian island of Java and was made from the midrib of the sugar palm (Arenga Pinnata). The Karinding was played in every family when harvesting, drying rice or as an expression of joy about the yields. Even for the protection of the rice paddies the Karinding was important, because insects were dispelled from the crops by the sound. With the changes in agriculture and society, the jaw harp almost disappeared in the last decades, but fortunately it has a revival today. Now, the Karinding can be found in classical Gamelan orchestras, in modern pop or hip hop bands, in jazz formations or even in Koran recitations with background music.
Sundanese craftsmen have modernized the traditional Karinding and made it from bamboo. The narrow reed vibrates by lightly tapping the blunt end, and with a little practice the typical percussive sound can be heard.
Manufacturer
Steev Kindwald
Sansem soi 3, 10110 Bangkok, TH
steevjawharp@hotmail.com
Responsible Person
Clemens Voigt & Sven Otto GbR
Graßdorfer Str. 52, 04425 Taucha, DE
gpsr@danmoi.com
