Before I left for my recent trip to Guizhou and Guangxi provinces in south-west China Andrew charged me with recording carefully any bronze drums which I saw. During the trip I encountered two metal drums – one in a Miao village in Taijiang county and the other in a Shui village in Sandu county both in south-east Guizhou.
I am posting photos below of the drum in Taijiang. This drum was the centre-piece of the amazing welcoming performance which the villagers gave to us. We were reputedly the first visitors to come to their village – Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county - since the decision (and investment) had been made to open up the village. The villagers were out in force, groups of young men and women, children, more mature women (many with babies being carried in ornate baby-carriers), old men, old women and musicians in full festival clothing and they circled around the performance ground to the insistent beating of the drum which was suspended from a sturdy wooden frame, rather like a gallows.
It was explained to us that the drum is regarded as the heart of the village. When one of the old women brought a drink of rice wine to the man beating the drum she first poured wine over the face of the drum.
I asked to photograph the drum and the drummers held it whilst I tried to get some details of the design.
The Miao in Da Zhai village wear festival clothing similar to that of Langde village – see Tony Chen’s article on the fertility festival in Langde and his photos.
http://www.tribaltextiles.info/articles ... stival.htm
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File comment: 12 May 2005 - Miao drum, Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county, Guizhou province

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File comment: 12 May 2005 - Miao drum, Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county, Guizhou province - drum detail

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File comment: 12 May 2005 - Miao drum, Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county, Guizhou province - drum detail

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File comment: 12 May 2005 - Miao drum, Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county, Guizhou province - drum detail

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File comment: 12 May 2005 - Miao drum, Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county, Guizhou province - drum detail

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File comment: 12 May 2005 - Da Zhai village, Taipan township, Taijiang county, Guizhou province

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Pamela
http://www.tribaltextiles.infoon-line tribal textiles resource