The Seediq mouth harp is a lamellophone instrument that is plucked to produce sound through waves of vibration. The melodic resonance yields notes that form songs, which were traditionally used for signaling, communication, entertainment, ritual, and courtship.
Also known as the jaw harp or mouth organ, the mouth harp is usually crafted out of a small, thin, flexible piece of air-dried bamboo to which ramie string or colorful yarn is attached. To play music, the performer’s mouth holds the convex side of the bamboo in place while the left hand grasps the end of the instrument. The right hand then tugs the string and the rhythm generated corresponds to the performer’s inhaling and exhaling.
Mouth harps are found widely both in Taiwanese Indigenous society as well as in cultures around the world. In Taiwan, they are common across the Ami, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, and other populations, with tunes and names for the instrument often particular to each community.
For the Seediq as for other groups and individuals with rich traditions, the mouth harp is an important form of cultural expression that is deeply rooted in the past. Thus, it is also a crucial vehicle for the transmission of knowledge, heritage and identity to future generations.