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Tongali

The tongali is a four holed nose flute (one hole in the back) from northern Philippines and played by the Kalinga and other peoples of Luzon. The tongali is one of the few nose flutes in the world that is still actively taught, thanks to the work of Jose Maceda at the University of the Philippines and the ongoing effects of the music department of UP Quezon. The tongali is one of numerous traditional instruments that students can study at UP. There are stories from this region that say that the nose flute was used to help rice grow when it was young, as the rice was attracted to the soft sounds of the flute, and would grow to put its ear above the water to hear it better.

Country: Luzon, Philippines
Region: Asia
Type: flute

Tongali - Philippine nose flute
©  R. Raine-Reusch, Jan. 1999