Washint
{{short description|Wind instrument developed in Ethiopia}}
{{Infobox instrument
| name =Washint
| names =
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| background =woodwind
| classification =aerophone
| hornbostel_sachs =421.111.12
| hornbostel_sachs_desc =end blown flute
| inventors =
| developed =
| range =unknown, usually players take 20 to 30 washints with them for performing
| related =
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}}
Washint (Amharic: ዋሽንት) is an end-blown wooden flute originally used in Ethiopia. Traditionally, Amharic musicians would pass on their oral history through song accompanied by the washint as well as the krar, which is a six stringed lyre, and the masenqo, a one string fiddle.{{Cite book | author = Nidel, Richard | title = World Music: The Basics | url = https://archive.org/details/worldmusic00rich_0 | url-access = registration | publisher = Routlidge Taylor & Francis Group, NY | year = 2005 }}
Occurrence
Along with the Krar and the Masenqo, the Washint flute is one of the three most widespread traditional musical instruments in Ethiopia.
The washint is a favorite among the shepherds and cowherders.{{cite book |last=May |first=Elizabeth |author-link= |date=1983 |title=Musics of many cultures : an introduction |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10960729 |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |page=239 |isbn=|oclc=10960729 }}
Construction and design
The washint can be constructed using bamboo, wood or other cane, and increasingly flutes of metal and plastic tubes can be seen.{{cite web |author=Timkehet Teffera Mekonnen |date=2020 |title=Shungul, Sorror, Washing, Woissa, Zumbara |url=https://www.academia.edu/44011103 |website=www.academia.edu}} Varieties exists in different lengths and relative fingerhole placement, and a performer might use several different flutes over the course of a performance to accommodate different song types.{{cite journal |last1=Kimberlin |first1=Cynthia Tse|year=1974 |title=Ethiopian and Tribal Music |journal=Ethnomusicology |volume= 18| issue = 1 |page=178 |doi= 10.2307/850080|jstor=850080 }} It generally has four finger-holes, which allows the player to create a pentatonic scale.{{cite journal |last1=Sárosi |first1=B.|year=1967 |title=The Music of Ethiopian Peoples |journal=Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae |volume= 9 |issue=1/2|page=14 |doi= 10.2307/901579|jstor=901579 }}
See also
- Ney, a flute of similar construction found in Middle Eastern Music
- Ney (Turkish), a Turkish flute of similar construction
- Kaval, a similar wind instrument found in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria
- Music of Ethiopia - historical overview of music tradition of Ethiopia
- Krar, five or six-stranded bowl-shaped lyre used in Ethiopia and Eritrea
- Masenqo, single-stranded bowed lute in Ethiopian-Eritrean tradition.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
=Audio examples and pictures=
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20091219203105/http://www.ethiotube.net/video/7019/Ethiopian-Idol-2009--Episode-18--Yesuf-Mohammed--Washint Washint tune]}} played before entranced crowd (on EthioTube site part of YouTube)
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQxK6tDfKvI&feature=fvw Boy mimicking Washint sound] (on YouTube)
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HxRR_YlAak Washint played by non Ethiopian] (on YouTube)
- [http://e2opia.com/e2opiacom/mainpage/music.html Ethiopian instruments] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710161921/http://e2opia.com/e2opiacom/mainpage/music.html |date=2011-07-10 }} images on the sidebar
{{Flutes}}
Category:Ethiopian musical instruments
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