GABBANG (TAUSUG)
BARMM ARTIFACTS
The Tausug xylophone, consisting of series of bamboo bars, played by being struck with a wooden mallet. The sound produces when it is being played by a man or woman is called tatah. It has become the popular musical instrument in Sulu. It is used to accompany Tausug vocal music as the sindil (a love song, sung in dialogue between two performers, one of which is a female plaing the gabbang and the other a male playing the biyula (violin), usually performed during a wedding celebration or political rally; purely for entertainment) and kissa (story/ballad, emphasize the glory of the prophet and the Tausug warriors, and often narrates an account of creation of origins, of peoples, institutions, historical events and the important heroes involved). The same is also played during the wedding ceremony.