Kolintang (Minahasa, North Sulawesi)

Kolintang  is a typical musical instrument Minahasa, North Sulawesi.

The name Kolintang came from the sound: TONG (low pitch note), TING (high pitch note) and TANG (moderate pitch note). In the local language, the invitation “Let us do some TONG TING TANG” is: “Mangemo kumolintang”. That settled the name of the instrument: KOLINTANG.

Kolintang made from local wood such as TELUR, BANDARAN, WENANG, KAKINIK.  whose fibre construction appears in parallel lines. It can produce a long sound which can reach high pitch note as well as low pitch note when struck.

In its early days, Kolintang originally consisted of only a series of wooden bars placed side by side in a row on the legs of the players who would sit on the floor with both of their legs stretched out in front of them. Later on, the function of the legs was replaced either by two poles of banana trunk or by a rope which hung them up to a wooden plank.

In 1954 kolintang already made 2 ½ octaves (still diatonic). In 1960 already reached 3 ½ octaves with a crotch tone, naturel, and 1 mol. Basic tone is still limited to three Key (Naturel, a mole, and a crotch) with a distance of 4 ½ octaves tone of F. s. / d. C. And musical development continues well kolintang quality tools, expansion of range of tones, forms the resonator box (to improve the sound), as well as appearance. Currently Kolintang made already reached 6 (six) with chromatisch full octave.

The name or term kolintang music equipment in addition to using the above language also has a name by using the language of Minahasa, and to complete the equipment is referred to amounted to 9 units. But for the professionals, just 6 pieces of equipment can already be played in full. Completeness of such tools as follows:

B - Bas = Loway

 C - Cello = Cella

T - Tenor 1 = Karua

Tenor 2 = Karua rua

A - Alto 1 = Uner

Alto 2 = Uner rua

U - Ukulele = Katelu

M - 1 = Ina esa

Melody - Melody 2 = Ina rua 

Melody 3 = Ina taweng

Last, open this video too see the Kolintang player performances