Alarm Bamboo
Tong-tong
Note: The following text is taken from a 19th-century collection catalog and, in its language and perspective, partially reflects colonial thought patterns. We present the text in its original version to make the collection's history transparent and promote a critical examination of the colonial legacy. Certain terms and formulations may be perceived as problematic today. A 2009 research project concluded that most descriptions are factually correct and still usable; only a few details were found to be inaccurate or incorrect. The results of this project were published in the following collection catalog: khm-wmw-tm-library.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1457155265"447. Alarm bamboo - "Tong-tong"A bamboo pole, about a meter long and ten centimetres in diameter, with a cleft on one side; hung up like the wooden block and hit with a wooden club. This instrument is also used like the former one to sound alarm and is used at the guard houses to sound the hours. When on expeditions, the outposts are given such bamboo alarm instruments and the forts have them as well. They are not only used to sound alarms but also to send each other messages, mark the hours, like our calling of the posts. This calling is not used in Indian expeditions since it would more easily attract the enemy, but beating the bamboo is common in all the villages and thus does not attract the attention of the native, who also does not understand its meaning."Translation of: Czurda, F. A. J. (1883). Catalog mit Erklärungen der Etnografischen Privatsammlung des Dr. F. A. J. Czurda in Postelberg (Böhmen). (p. 104). Wien, Wilhelm Braumüller
Note: The following text is taken from a 19th-century collection catalog and, in its language and perspective, partially reflects colonial thought patterns. We present the text in its original version to make the collection's history transparent and promote a critical examination of the colonial legacy. Certain terms and formulations may be perceived as problematic today. A 2009 research project concluded that most descriptions are factually correct and still usable; only a few details were found to be inaccurate or incorrect. The results of this project were published in the following collection catalog: khm-wmw-tm-library.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1457155265"447. Alarm bamboo - "Tong-tong"A bamboo pole, about a meter long and ten centimetres in diameter, with a cleft on one side; hung up like the wooden block and hit with a wooden club. This instrument is also used like the former one to sound alarm and is used at the guard houses to sound the hours. When on expeditions, the outposts are given such bamboo alarm instruments and the forts have them as well. They are not only used to sound alarms but also to send each other messages, mark the hours, like our calling of the posts. This calling is not used in Indian expeditions since it would more easily attract the enemy, but beating the bamboo is common in all the villages and thus does not attract the attention of the native, who also does not understand its meaning."Translation of: Czurda, F. A. J. (1883). Catalog mit Erklärungen der Etnografischen Privatsammlung des Dr. F. A. J. Czurda in Postelberg (Böhmen). (p. 104). Wien, Wilhelm Braumüller
Collector:
František A. J. Czurda (1844 Pisek - 1886 Cirebon) DNB
Entry Date:
1883
Object Name
Alarm Bamboo
Culture
Süd-Sulawesi
Material/technology:
Bamboo, wood
Copyright
Weltmuseum Wien
Collection area
Insular Southeast Asia
Invs.
17692
