"Sompoton" or "Sopoton" is a traditional musical instruments from Sabah.
How it's made-up?
The heads are made from dried up gourd with the body is made from 8 small bamboo pipes we call it "Sumbiling" . The dry gourd was pounder, then the 8 small bamboo pipes inserted into the hole. They use bee wax or using "Tantadan" aka "Kelulut" wax to glue it together as a barrier so there is no air leak when you blow it.
The bamboo pipe is straight with different length. It's like a kind of flute.
The wax as a air chamber.
Bamboo pipes with different length.
How to use or play music with it?
Simple..
It's a mouth conduct types. We can blow or suck (exhale or inhale) the air to produce a sound. Different from flute where flute can only be play by blowing.
Rythm?
Yes. We can easy to control it with use of fingers. The right finger controls the air flow from the 4 short bamboo pipes by open and close the holes. And the left fingers to control the 3 holes at bottom of the pipes. (2 holes place in front and 1 hole at the back)
Surely we need to have hands skills to handle this "Sompoton" and also the inhale and exhale skills ☺.
But if you truly want to learn this traditional musical instruments, you can easily adjust with it in short term. But to harmonize the quality of sound, of coz need some times.
Codes?
Yes. Same like others musical instruments, "Sompoton" to have codes.
Where we can plays this "Sompoton" ?
Of course anywhere. Here in Sabah, it's to accompany other musical instruments or played alone. It's musical instruments for the Kadazandusun and Murut ethnic in Sabah.
To maintain the tradition instrument not to be fade by the next generation, more programs or competitions were held. So that, the new generation can participate the event and hopes for the future to know this traditional instrument.
I'd learn to plays this "Sompoton" since teenagers. My village invited a teacher to conduct free class for the villagers to learn how to use this "Sompoton" . I can easily read the notes but still needs to learn to harmonize the sound.
I had 2 "Sompoton" . One my parents brought for me and one my late grandfather give me before he passed away. He had listened me plays this "Sompoton" and as encouragement he gives his "Sompoton" . He say his "Sompoton" more better than mine.
"Don't let's the times delete all yours memories, but let's it's be remembered."~ 
Some goes for the Traditional Musical Instrument, let's continue to pass it for the next generation.
Enjoy this video I uploaded from YouTube : Credits to Rupini Letchumanan for this video. 👍
Posted from my blog with
http://audreyclaire.vornix.blog/2018/09/17/sompoton-sabah-traditional-musical-instruments/