Have you ever heard of Guoto’s musical instrument? The making of stringed musical instruments from the West Papua region is unique, from wood and animal skins. Papua people usually use cow skins to make this instrument. Check out the explanation about Guoto in this article!
Guoto, One of Famous Typical West Papuan Musical Instrument
Talking about West Papua, what comes to mind to most people is its natural beauty. But did you know that there are also many traditional musical instruments in Papua which are unique and different from other regions? One of the most famous is Guoto.
Guoto has its own uniqueness as a popular musical instrument in the Papuan Arfak Tribe. Read the article below about information on the manufacturing process, how to play, the function and form of Guoto.
1. Making Process of Guoto
Guoto is a straightforward musical instrument, but its existence is difficult to find nowadays. The community dries the bamboo bath to make this musical instrument. Then, the Papuan people smooth the bamboo skin using a knife to form the strings.
The strings of this instrument come from the wood itself, not with strings like other stringed instruments. The number of strings on the Guoto is usually four. The four strings are equidistant from each other.
After the strings are finished, people put a small piece of wood at the bottom of the string. This small piece of wood is used to give tension to the strings.
During manufacture, the Papuan people then arranged wooden wedges so that each string could make a different sound. The base and the end of the Guoto strings are usually tied by a rope made of rattan or dried cowhide.
2. How to Play
The way to play this traditional musical instrument is by strumming the strings and hitting them. This way, you can produce a unique sound. You will be blown away by Guoto’s voice.
People usually play this musical instrument with a combination of other West Papuan traditional music. This music instruments is usually used to accompany dances, welcome guests, and local traditional rituals.
3. The Shape of Guoto
In addition to having many types of wind instruments, Papua also has stringed instruments. The name of the instrument is Guoto.
Guoto is a musical instrument from the province of West Papua. This regional instrument has strings that can produce sound when plucked. A guoto strum can produce several basic notes.
The guoto is oval with several strings attached in the middle. At first glance, this instrument looks simple because there are not many pictures or ornaments engraved on the outside.
4. The Function of Guoto
The people of West Papua usually use This music instrument to accompany various events, such as traditional ceremonies, dances, and musical performances.
Papua people still often hold traditional events. Besides that music instrument, much other traditional music are also there to fill the show. The thickness of this custom is indeed the main attraction for West Papua.
Usually, when other residents come to West Papua, they invite outsiders to participate in the celebration so they can also see Guoto’s performance. Papua’s outside cannot find this musical instrument other than in West Papua. So if you go there, you must listen to this instrument’s music.
Conclusion
West Papua has many traditional musical instruments, one of which is the Guoto. This musical instrument is usually used during formal events and played by picking it. Made of cowhide, Guoto has an oval shape and is only found in West Papua.Knowing the types of traditional music is very important. The cultural diversity in Indonesia is indeed exciting. By reading this article, you can learn more about West Papua and its various musical instruments.
