#folk instruments

Kashubian Girl with a Traditional Instrument: Devil's Fiddle

The “Devil’s Fiddle” (Kashubian: diabelské skrzëpce; Polish: diabelskie skrzypce) is a traditional instrument of the Kashubian people, an Indigenous Lechitic ethnic group of Northern Poland.

Although its name suggests a string instrument, it's neither a fiddle nor a violin. Instead, it consists of a tall wooden staff crowned with a carved demonic head and adorned with ribbons, bells, and other small sound-making elements. A metal plate or spring is typically attached at the base. The player strikes the staff against the ground or shakes it to produce rhythmic sounds, making it primarily a percussion instrument used to accompany dancing and singing.

The mijwiz is a wind instrument played in countries like Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt and is the ancestor of the bagpipes. The mijwiz has two bamboo pipes with six finger holes, one bamboo pipe uses a single reed and the other a double reed. The instrument is played with circular breathing, a breathing technique where you exhale through your mouth and inhale through your nose simultaneously. Mijwiz translates to “double” in Arabic

Tackhead banjo I built for my bestest friend in the world as a birthday present. It's pony sized, so like half the size of a standard banjo. Maple and purpleheart, and yes it's naturaly that purple. Gotoh tuners, recycled goatskin head from an old drum I repaired, Nylgut strings, walnut fretboard. The moon phase inlays are mother of pearl and ebony.