Article

Name: Jaw harp in the culture of the Ob Ugrians

Authors: G. E. Soldatova

Institute of Philology, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation

In the section Этномузыковедение

Abstract:

The jaw harp, known locally as the tumran, is a primary musical instrument within the diverse family of phonoinstruments used by the Ob-Ugrian peoples (Khanty and Mansi). While ethnographic and ethnomusi-cological literature has briefly addressed its use among indigenous Siberian groups, the Ob-Ugric jaw harp has lacked a dedicated, comprehensive study. This article fills that gap, drawing on museum collections, published sources, and the author’s field data collected during expeditions to Khanty and Mansi communities in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The study provides a linguistic interpretation of the term tumran, proposing the hypothesis that it originally functioned as a generic term for “musical instrument.” The author details the instrument’s construction, manufacturing techniques, and morphological types (smooth, stepped, and bottle-shaped), alongside an analysis of sound production methods and genre-specific variations in repertoire. Furthermore, the research contextualizes the tumran through archaeological evidence from the northern Ob-Ugric settlements and Northern Altai. Comparative analysis identifies cultural parallels across Northern Asia, including the Selkup, Ket, Evenki, Koryak, Ainu, and Nivkh traditions, highlighting the instrument’s significance in the broader circumpolar musical landscape.

Keywords: Khanty, Mansi, Ob-Ugrians, jaw harp, phono-instruments, idiophones, musical folklore, ethnomusicology, ethnoorganology

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