The buhay ( uk, бугай) (also known as a bugai, buhai, berebenytsia, bika, buga, bochka) is a musical instrument that is used in

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

and is classified as a

friction drum A friction drum is a musical instrument found in various forms in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. In Europe it emerged in the 16th century and was associated with specific religious and ceremonial occasions. Construction A friction d ...

. ''Buhay'' is the Ukrainian word for great bittern (Botaurus stellaris), and its use as name of the instrument refers to the sound produced. The mating call or contact call of the male Buhay (Botaurus stellaris) is a deep, sighing fog-horn or bull-like boom with a quick rise and an only slightly longer fall, easily audible from a distance of 3 mi (4.8 km) on a calm night. Hornbostel-Sachs classification number 232.11-92 The buhay consists of a conical barrel (sometimes a wooden bucket). At one end a sheep membrane is stretched with a hole in this skin's center. Through this hole a tuft of horse hair with a knot at one end is passed. Usually two performers are needed to operate the instrument, one to hold the instrument, the other to pull the horsehair with moistened fingers. In recent times versions of the buhay have been made which are held in position by the players feet allowing one player to play the instrument. These instruments can be played successfully by one player without assistance. Five to six different sounds can be obtained from the instrument, depending on the skill of the player. The buhay plays an important part in New Years and Christmas rituals. It is used in works by the Ukrainian folk instruments orchestra. The buhay and local variants is common to Ukraine,

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

(called ''buhai''),

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

, and

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

(with various regional names: ''burczybas'', "grumbling bass", brzãczadło, brzãczëdło, brzãczk, mrëczk, bąk, bùk, brantop, brumtop, brumbas "friction drum with a cord (burczybas)"
/ref>). The buhay has been used as a leading instrument in the title track on the album "Vidlik" by the Ukrainian electronic experimental music band

ONUKA ONUKA (literally: ''granddaughter'') is a Ukrainian electro-folk band. It was created in 2013 by Ukrainian musicians Yevhen Filatov and Nata Zhyzhchenko. Other group members are Daryna Sert (keyboardist and backing vocalist), Mariya Sorokina (per ...

. It is also used as a leading instrument in the "Boogaj Boogie" song by Ukrainian neofolk rock ethnofussion gospel band "Voanerges".

References

Samples and Pictures of Ukrainian Instruments
*Humeniuk, A. - ''Ukrainski narodni muzychni instrumenty'' - Kyiv: Naukova dumka, 1967 *Mizynec, V. - ''Ukrainian Folk Instruments'' - Melbourne: Bayda books, 1984 *Cherkaskyi, L. - ''Ukrainski narodni muzychni instrumenty'' - Tekhnika, Kyiv, Ukraine, 2003 - 262 pages. {{reflist Ukrainian musical instruments Romanian musical instruments Friction drums pl:Burczybas

See also

References