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ALAT MUZIK TONGKUNGON
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Introduction and history
The Tongkungon is an idiocord tube zither popular among the Kadazan-Dusun ethnic community, particularly in the Tambunan, Penampang, and Tuaran regions. It belongs to the chordophone category and is made from "Poring" bamboo, a giant bamboo measuring 40 and 50 centimetres long, with strings crafted from the bamboo's skin.
The Tongkungon is an alternative musical instrument used to replace the gong, traditionally played by an ensemble of musicians. However, when using the Tongkungon, only one musician is required, as it represents the entire resonance of the gongs. Therefore, the number of strings on a Tongkungon corresponds to the number of gongs in the ensemble. For instance, the gong ensemble from the Penampan, known as Sompogogungan, consists of six types of gongs, so the Tongkungon from this region typically has six strings. Meanwhile, the Tongkungon from the Tambunan has seven strings, as its gong ensemble, Sopogandangan, features seven types of gongs. Each string on the Tongkungon is named after the corresponding gong, such as Bobogon, Tagung Tolombou, Tagung Tohison, Kuribadon, Kutou Kutowon, Tawag, and Tongtoangon.
The Tongkungon serves as an alternative musical instrument to replace the gong and holds significant cultural value tied to the myths and legends of the Kadazan-Dusun ethnic community. Traditionally, the Tongkungon was played during wedding ceremonies by a young man. If a woman found the musician attractive, she would respond by playing the Sundatang, another musical instrument, in reply to the man's melody. This was a subtle indication of her interest or attraction toward him.
Furthermore, the Tongkungon also forms part of the bamboo musical ensemble that accompanies various traditional rituals and dances of the Kadazan-Dusun community. Today, the instrument has gained recognition for its commercial value. It is frequently featured at celebratory events such as festivals and cultural celebrations, and it is an essential instrument in contemporary musical ensembles.
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The production of the Tongkungon is quite simple as it is made entirely from a single bamboo stem, specifically the Poring bamboo. The strings are cut from the bamboo surface and lifted using small wedges, or Ponodul made from wood or rattan, at each end of the Tongkungon. These wedges act as adjustable bridges that can be moved beneath each string to raise or lower its pitch during tuning. Resonance holes are typically cut into the side of the bamboo facing the musician or at both ends of the instrument.
The Tongkungon is traditionally played solo by men and is held vertically with the top supported by a hanging strap. The musician plucks each string, adjusting the resonances to produce the desired melody.
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Reference Source
Hamdan, S., Mohamad Said, K. A., Kipli, K., Duin, E. A. M., & Sinin, A. E. (2024). The Tongkungon: A Traditional KadazanDusun Plucked Musical Instrument from Sabah, Malaysia. BioResources, 20(1), 357–367. Retrieved from https://ojs.bioresources.com/index.php/BRJ/article/view/23559
Pugh-Kitingan, J. (2012). Kadazan Dusun. Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur.
Pugh-Kitingan, J. (2016). Dancing the sound, musicking the movement: Contextual dialogues between music and dance in northern Borneo. In Sounding the Dance, Moving the Music (pp. 122-132). Routledge.
Unchi, S., & Zamrie, I. (2009) Quantitative assessment of culm characteristics of some bamboo species. SEPILOK BULLETIN, 47.
Wei, O. C., & Dayou, J. (2009). Frequency characteristics of sound from sompoton musical instrument. Borneo Science, 25, 71-79.
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