ቁሳቁስ ከበሮ
አማርኛ

Ethiopian instruments

ከበሮKebero

How is a kebero made? From a log to a tight hide.

A step-by-step look at how the big double-headed drum is made by hand from a single log and hide, and how it is played.

See the stepsWhat is a kebero?

What is a kebero?ከበሮ ምንድን ነው?

The kebero is a large traditional drum with two hide heads, played with the hands.

The body is hollowed out of a single log, swelling a little in the middle. Hide is stretched over both ends, one wider than the other, and the two heads are pulled tight against each other by leather thongs that zigzag round the shell.

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church the kebero is played in the night-long chant of the mahlet, with sistrums and prayer staffs, and the church's drums are dressed in bright cloth. Smaller keberos are played at weddings, holidays and in folk dances.

The parts of a kebero

ክፍሎች

Two heads and two voices, and between them the shell and the lacing that join them.

A church kebero standing on its large head on a round woven mat, with a prayer staff lying in front of it. Its hollow wooden shell swells a little in the middle; a large hide head 40 cm across and a small one 30 cm across are each held under a hoop, and leather thongs zigzag between the two hoops round the shell. A leather strap runs from hoop to hoop down one side. The small head and the strap come away. It stands 606 mm. Point at the figure, or at a part in the list, to see that part. The arrow keys step through the parts, Space takes it apart or puts it together, and Escape puts it back.

  1. The hollow shell from a single log. The leather thongs round it pull the two heads tight.

  2. The head that gives the higher, sharper sound.

  3. The head that gives the deep sound. The drum stands on it when it is set down.

  4. A leather strap tied from hoop to hoop, to hang the drum from the shoulder.

How a kebero is made, step by step

አሠራር

From a single log to two heads pulled tight.

  1. ፩Step 1

    Hollow the log

    ግንዱን መፈልፈል

    A length of log is cut and hollowed out until its wall is thin.

  2. ፪Step 2

    Shape the shell

    አካሉን መቅረጽ

    The outside is shaped and smoothed, one end wider than the other and the middle swelling a little.

  3. ፫Step 3

    Prepare the hides

    ቆዳውን ማዘጋጀት

    Cow or goat hide is soaked in water and scraped clean of hair.

  4. ፬Step 4

    Cut the heads

    ገጾቹን መቁረጥ

    A round of hide a little wider than each end is cut, and its edge is rolled over into a hoop.

  5. ፭Step 5

    Lace the heads

    ገጾቹን መወጠር

    Long leather thongs cross from one hoop to the other in a zigzag, joining the two heads.

  6. ፮Step 6

    Tighten and dry

    ማጥበቅና ማድረቅ

    The thongs are pulled tight, and as the wet hide dries it shrinks and the heads go taut.

  7. ፯Step 7

    Dress it

    ማልበስ

    A strap is tied on, and a church drum is dressed in bright cloth. It is ready to play.

Playing the kebero

ከበሮ ሲመታ

  • In the church

    ማኅሌት

    In the mahlet, the singers begin slowly on the kebero and quicken as the chant rises.

  • Two voices

    ሁለት ድምፆች

    One hand plays the large head and the other the small one, and the deep and sharp sounds make the rhythm.

  • Weddings and holidays

    ሠርግና በዓል

    Smaller keberos are played for dancing at weddings, at Timket and on other holidays.

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