PAPUAAROUND — Tifa is a traditional Papua musical instrument. Tifa has been passed down from generation to generation along with the history of the beliefs of various tribes in Papua.
At first glance, this traditional Papua musical instrument resembles Tifa from Maluku. The difference between the two lies in the model and shape.
The typical Maluku Tifa does not have a handle beside it, while the Papua Tifa has a handle. Tifa, which was released on the Ministry of Education and Culture website, is a typical Papua musical instrument shaped like a drum. This musical instrument is often used in various traditional rituals.
The Asmat tribe is known for their ability and skill in playing this instrument. Tifa of the Asmat tribe is often used as a male identity.
According to an excerpt from the journal Tifa in Tanah Papua in an Ethnomusicological Perspective (2020) by I Wayan Rai, Tifa is made from local Papua wood, namely milk wood. This type of wood only occurs in the wild and is processed into Tifa using a special manufacturing process.
Apart from being made of wood, Tifa’s membrane is also made of animal skins, namely monitor lizards, soasoa and deer skins. Tifa has a variety of sizes, ranging from 60 centimeters to more than 1 meter.
Uniquely, Tifa’s size greatly influences the type of sound produced. The smaller the size, the higher Tifa’s voice. If the size is long and large, the sound produced will be lower or bigger.
The way to play Tifa is to hold the instrument with your left hand and hit it with the four fingers of your right hand. However, there are also those who hit him with five fingers. This depends on the sound quality of tifa.
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