'Keeper-of-the-Drum': Silent Objects and Musical Pasts of Pohnpei, Micronesia

This article examines wooden drums called aip from the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia in both historical and cultural contexts. Ethnomusicologists working with Pacific Island musics have explored many instrumental practices, but the literature reveals a general lack of discussion concerning instruments of Micronesian cultures. Despite a general dearth in available research, however, published works have characterized Micronesia as a Pacific region of historically few indigenous instruments, continuing a persistent representation of musical and instrumental deficiency. In this article I address organological research in a geographical area largely overlooked in the literature by examining the cultural and musical parameters that surrounded Pohnpeian drumming, as a possible indication of the larger cultural role for instrumental practices than has been previously documented. Despite their eventual disappearance, I contend that Pohnpeian drums once had significant sonic and cultural roles that have implications for understanding changes in instrumental practices on the island. Examining the aip affords insights into the musical heritage of Pohnpei, but also suggests the need to revisit the role of instruments in Micronesia and the musical changes that took place through time.