Boroboro (Drum)

Description

The central and western Torres Strait islander people called the traditional Boroboro drum Burubur.

To tune the drum, Torres Straight Islanders would use wild beeswax, also known as Isau, which translates to “a lot of shed tears”. The Isau is applied to the drum skin to enhance the sound of the drum as it “cries out”. The mouth of the drum “Gauet” which translates to pelican, is inspired by the bill of the pelican.

Because the Boroboro drum has no handle to support it, it would be embraced firmly to the side of the body. The Warup drum with handle was introduced to Eastern Islanders by the Parama Island natives called Gebarobi.