The kalatalo ( uk, калатало) (also known as kalatailo, kalatalka, torokhkalo, stukalo, stukalka, torokhkavka, klepalo, bovkalo) is a
Ukrainian folk instrument used in folk ensembles whenever a drum or
tambourine is not available. It was also used by night guards to scare away intruders. In
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
, the kalatalo is used instead of bells during
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
.
The instrument is made from a piece of wood with a handle. A second piece of wood shorter than the first is joined to the original piece by metal rings near from the handle. A hole is drilled through both pieces at one end and a wooden bolt is placed through the hole so that the additional piece can move a small distance. When the instrument is spun around it produces a very loud sound amplified by the stillness of the night.
A variant of the torokhkalo is the klepach that consists of a wooden hammer on an axis which is swung from one side to the other.
See also
*
Ukrainian folk music
Sources
*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. {{ISBN, 966-575-111-5
References
Ukrainian musical instruments
Idiophones