Ethnic Gallery

Playing the Rabana drum - Sinhalese - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Playing the Rabana drum - Sinhalese people - Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Maha (big) Rabana or Banku (bench) Rabana, played by two or more people at a time is used at wedding festivals and Sinhala New Year Celebrations in Sri Lanka. It also symbolizes the spring festivals of the country. Generally women are the best players of the Banku Rabana and a special system of Raban Pada is in practice among them. One reads out the beat loudly and plays it in collaboration with others. Some of the onlookers would enjoy the music with dance in order to tune it for better sounds. The Rabana (as can be seen on this card) is kept on three wooden trunks about 18 inches high and the leader kindles fire under the instrument so that it can be tuned for finer sounds. Date: circa 1910s

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Fantastic Wooden Screw Olive Press - Kabyle People, Algeria

Absolutely Fantastic Wooden Olive Screw Press - Kabyle People, Algeria. The traditional Kabylian economy of the area is based on arboriculture (orchards and olive trees) and on the craft industry (tapestry or pottery). The technology and processes as shown here were unchanged in centuries. See: 10949687 Date: 1902

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Elderly Moroccan man playing a sintir, also known as the guembri, gimbri or hejhouj, is a three-stringed skin-covered bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people

Elderly Moroccan man playing a sintir, also known as the guembri, gimbri or hejhouj, is a three-stringed skin-covered bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people. It is approximately the size of a guitar, with a body carved from a log and covered on the playing side with camel skin. Date: circa 1909

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

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