Bontoc wedwed violent-death bullroarer

wedwed

Source term: wedwed (bullroarer)

wedwed: the Bontoc name for the bullroarer.

A violent death turned Bontoc mourning toward revenge. The wedwed roared with a notched mouth flute and reed pipes “to disturb the killer’s soul.” At the wake, old women’s annako challenged the murdered person’s spirit to strike back and restore their honour.

When a person has died violently, the sinongyup, a notched mouth flute, and the reed aerophones are sounded together with the wedwed (bullroarer) in order to disturb the killer’s soul.

Bontoc cultural synthesis, National Library PDF, digital pp. 15–16

Particulars

Object

Construction not recorded.

Function

After any death by violence, sounded with the sinongyup notched mouth flute and reed aerophones to disturb the killer's soul.