Drum (sulibao) made of wood and animal skin. 20th century. Northern Philippines. Asian Ethnology, UMMA Expedition. UMMAA 92156.

Karl L. Hutterer, curator of the Museum’s Asian Collection, acquired this drum in 1979 while conducting archaeological and ethnographic research in the Philippines (see also Day 102). This type of log drum, called a sulibao, is a traditional instrument of the Ibaloi people of the northern Philippines. It is constructed of a hollowed log capped with animal skin, most likely from a deer. The sulibao also gives its name to the most important musical ensemble among the Ibaloi people. It involves five players and consists of the eponymous drum, a lower conical drum called a kimbal, two types of flat gongs called the pinsak and kalsa, and a pair of two short iron bars called the palas.

Back to Day 143 or continue to Day 145.

In honor of the University of Michigan’s 2017 bicentennial, we are celebrating the remarkable archaeological and ethnographic collections and rich legacy of research and teaching at the Museum of Anthropological Archaeology by posting one entry a day for 200 days. The entries will highlight objects from the collections, museum personalities, and UMMAA expeditions. The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology is also posting each day for 200 days on Twitter and Facebook (follow along at #KMA200). After the last post, an exhibition on two centuries of archaeology at U-M opens at the Kelsey. Visit the exhibit—a joint project of the UMMAA and the Kelsey—from October 18, 2017 to May 27, 2018.

Detail of drum (sulibao) made of wood and animal skin. 20th century. Northern Philippines. Asian Ethnology, UMMA Expedition. UMMAA 92156.