What is the name for all cook island drums?
The names of the drums in a basic cook island drum set are as
follows:
Pa'u (translated 'skin') = Bass drum. Generally made using calf
skins. This drum provides the low-end tempo in a drumming
orchestration.
Pa'umango (trns 'shark skin') = Bongo. Traditionally made using
shark skin, but these days more generally goat skin. This drum
provides a 'mellowing' of the whole drum orchestration from all the
sharpness of the wooden drums.
Pate/Tokere = Large wooden slit drum. Traditionally made out of
Island Mahogany (Tamanu) and Pacific Rosewood (Miro). This drum is
used to play the main beat of the orchestration.
Pate Takirua/Tikita (trns 'double') = Smaller wooden slit drum.
This provides a higher pitched sound and is played very fast while
the Pate provides the main beat.
Hope this helps! Kia orana e kia manuia