Tahitian ukulele
Encyclopedia
The Tahitian ukulele is a short-necked fretted lute with eight nylon strings in four doubled courses, native to Tahiti
and played in other regions of Polynesia
. This variant of the older Hawaiian ukulele
is noted by a higher and thinner sound and an open back, and is often strummed much faster.
The two middle courses are tuned an octave higher than they would be on a normal ukulele, and fishing line is used for the strings.
The tapered hole bored through the body is about 4 cm in diameter on the back; at the front it is about 10 cm in diameter. The hole is topped with a thin piece of wood, on which the bridge sits, so the instrument works rather like a wood-topped banjo. Indeed, some of these instruments are referred to as Tahitian banjos. The strings are usually made from light-gauge fishing line, usually green in colour (usually around 30—60 lb
).
, particularly French Polynesia
. The instrument is also used in the Marquesas Islands
for pan-Pacific and Tahitian-based music, and in the Cook Islands
, where it became popular after its 1995 use in a music video by Tahitian band Te Ava Piti.
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and played in other regions of Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
. This variant of the older Hawaiian ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
is noted by a higher and thinner sound and an open back, and is often strummed much faster.
The two middle courses are tuned an octave higher than they would be on a normal ukulele, and fishing line is used for the strings.
Construction
The Tahitian ukulele is significantly different from other ukuleles in that it does not have a hollow soundbox. The body (including the head and neck) is usually carved from a single piece of wood, with a wide conical hole bored through the middle. Alternatively Tahitian ukulele can be carved out of three pieces of wood with the sides being made from different woods, for decoration.The tapered hole bored through the body is about 4 cm in diameter on the back; at the front it is about 10 cm in diameter. The hole is topped with a thin piece of wood, on which the bridge sits, so the instrument works rather like a wood-topped banjo. Indeed, some of these instruments are referred to as Tahitian banjos. The strings are usually made from light-gauge fishing line, usually green in colour (usually around 30—60 lb
Pound-force
The pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
).
History
The instrument seems to be a relatively recent invention, popular in eastern PolynesiaPolynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
, particularly French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
. The instrument is also used in the Marquesas Islands
Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
for pan-Pacific and Tahitian-based music, and in the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
, where it became popular after its 1995 use in a music video by Tahitian band Te Ava Piti.
Current luthiers
Kaota Puna (New Zealand) Asonu (Chile) Tahiti Ukulele (California, United States)External links
- Tahitian Ukulele at Meetup.com
- TahitianUkulele.blogspot.com