Bangei (also bangei Atjeh, bangei Aceh; Dutch: bamboe-neusfluit — “bamboo nose flute”) is a bamboo nose flute — an aerophone played by blowing through the nose into a small hole near the closed end of a bamboo tube — indigenous to Acheh (Atjēh), northern Sumatra. It is one of the few nose flutes documented in the western Indonesian archipelago, a trait more commonly associated with Polynesian, Melanesian, and Philippine (e.g., kalaleng, tongali) traditions.
Organology
- Hornbostel-Sachs classification: 421.111.12 (end-blown nose flute, open tube, without fingerholes — or with fingerholes: 421.111.22)
- Body: single internode of thin-walled bamboo (bambu apus / Gigantochloa apus, bambu wuluh / Schizostachyum blumei), closed at the proximal end (node intact), open at the distal end
- Blowing hole: small circular aperture (3–5 mm) drilled near the closed end, angled for nasal airflow
- Fingerholes: typically 3–4 fingerholes (some variants have none, producing only harmonics)
- Length: 30–50 cm
- Diameter: 1.5–2.5 cm (internal)
- Playing technique: player closes one nostril, places blowing hole against the other nostril, and exhales gently through the nose; fingerholes stopped by fingers of both hands
- Sound: soft, breathy, flute-like, limited dynamic range; fundamental pitch with harmonic overtones
- Range: approximately one octave (with fingerholes); pentatonic or hexatonic scale
Historical and Regional Context
Jaap Kunst in Muziek en Dans in de Buitengewesten (1946, p. 10) lists the bangei among the “typisch Mohammedaansche speeltuigen” (“typically Mohammedan instruments”) for Atjēh, alongside the gambus, rabana, Marwas, and serunai. This classification is organologically surprising — the nose flute is not a typical Islamic instrument (which favors reed pipes, lutes, frame drums). Its inclusion suggests:
- Syncretic adoption: The bangei may have been a pre-Islamic indigenous Acehnese instrument that was incorporated into the Islamic soundscape (e.g., for zikir meditation, maulid lullabies, or hikayat interludes).
- Misclassification: Kunst may have grouped it with “Mohammedan” instruments simply because he encountered it in Islamic ritual contexts in Aceh.
- Hadrami/Yemeni parallel: The Yemeni qasaba / nay (end-blown flute) is used in sama’ (Sufi audition); the bangei could be a local bamboo adaptation of that aesthetic.
The bangei is rarely documented outside Kunst’s 1946 monograph. It does not appear in major organological surveys of Sumatra (e.g., Kartomi, Kunst 1973, Kartomi 2012), suggesting it may have been highly localized (perhaps to Pidie, Aceh Besar, or Simeulue) or already declining by the 1930s.
Nose Flutes in the Wider Region
| Region / People | Local Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acheh | Bangei | Bamboo nose flute, 3–4 holes | Zikir, Meuseukat, solo |
| Philippines (Kalinga, Bontok, Ifugao) | Kalaleng / Tongali / Paldong | Bamboo nose flute, 3–4 holes | Courtship, solo, ritual |
| Philippines (Mangyan) | Subing / Kinaban | Jaw harp / nose flute | Courtship |
| Polynesia (Hawai’i, Tahiti, Māori) | ‘Ohe hano ihu / Vivo / Kōauau | Bamboo/gourd nose flute | Ceremonial, genealogy chants |
| Melanesia (New Guinea) | Kundu (generic) | Various | Ritual |
| Taiwan (Atayal, Bunun) | Lalaw / Pisil | Bamboo nose flute | Hunting, courtship |
| **[[Menangkabau | Minangkabau]]** | Suling (mouth-blown) | Bamboo ring flute |
| Gayo Lands | Suling (mouth-blown) | Bamboo ring flute | Saman, Didong |
The bangei is the only documented nose flute in western Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Malay Peninsula). Its presence in Aceh may reflect ancient Austronesian connections with the Philippines and the Pacific, or a local innovation in bamboo organology.
Role in Acehnese Music
Given its soft, intimate timbre, the bangei was likely used in:
- Meuseukat (women’s seated dance-song) — gentle melodic interludes between vocal sections
- Zikir / Dzikir (Sufi meditation) — quiet dhikr accompaniment, breath-focused playing as spiritual practice
- Hikayat / Dendang recitation — instrumental preludes (buka) or interludes
- Maulid / Maulud lullabies — cradle songs for the Prophet’s birthday
- Solo recreational playing — herding, courtship (parallel to Philippine traditions)
It is unsuitable for outdoor processions (Seudati, Sedati, Saman) where loud instruments (serunai, rabana, Marwas) dominate.
Construction (Traditional Acehnese)
| Step | Process |
|---|---|
| 1. Selection | Choose mature bambu apus or bambu wuluh, straight internode, thin walls |
| 2. Cutting | Cut at nodes; keep proximal node intact (closed end), open distal end |
| 3. Seasoning | Dry slowly in shade 2–4 weeks; smoke over kitchen fire (darkens, hardens) |
| 4. Blowing hole | Drill/burn 3–5 mm hole 1–2 cm from closed node, angled upward |
| 5. Fingerholes | Burn/drill 3–4 holes at calculated intervals for pentatonic scale |
| 6. Finishing | Rub with coconut oil; sometimes decorate with sulur (vine) motifs |
Iconography
Mentioned but not illustrated in Jaap Kunst, Muziek en Dans in de Buitengewesten (1946), Mededeling No. LXVII, Afdeling Volkenkunde No. 20, p. 10. The 49 illustrations across 24 plates include flutes (Plates 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 — suling, serunai, nai), but no nose flute is depicted.
See Also
- Suling (Aceh)
- Serunai (Aceh)
- Gambus (Aceh)
- Rabana (Aceh)
- Redep
- Marwas
- Geudoemba
- Hareubab
- Tjanang Triëng
- Kendang (Aceh)
- Meuseukat
- Zikir
- Dzikir
- Hadrah
- Hikayat
- Dendang
- Maulid
- Acheh
- Gayo Lands
- Philippine Nose Flute
- Kalaleng
- Polynesian Nose Flute
- Austronesian Musical Instruments
- Jaap Kunst
- Muziek en Dans in de Buitengewesten (1946)
Source
Jaap Kunst, Muziek en Dans in de Buitengewesten, Mededeling No. LXVII, Afdeling Volkenkunde No. 20, Koninklijke Vereeniging “Indisch Instituut” te Amsterdam (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1946), p. 10. Based on field research 1919–1934.