African musical instrument-Tetela Bantu slit drum

Tetela slit drums come mainly from the congo region. Used by the bantu ethnic group, they served – and still serve – to transmit messages by combining tones and rhythms: announcements of ceremonies, opening of the harvest, etc. The shape and size of the drum determine the range of the sound transmitted, up to more than 10 km for the largest, such as the one proposed. This means that the communication may concern the village alone or address the neighbouring villages, which serve as relays, so as to cover an entire territory, for example in the case of invitations between chiefs or notables. Because of the diversity and richness of the sounds that the "drummer" manages to draw from it, it is also used as a musical instrument during village festivals.

Ref. : GHHYAH6A