Philippines
Bontok People

Bamboo, cloth, beads
20th century
Length: 24 inch; Diameter: 3.75 in
Chordophones – Zithers

A kolitong is a bamboo polychordal tube zither from the Bontok people living in the Province of Kalinga, in the Philippines.  It has six bamboo fiber strings that run parallel to its tube body. The strings are numbered from one to six, from lowest to highest pitch. There are incised geometric carving in the center as decoration.  The bamboo tube acts as the instruments’ resonator body with holes along the body and both ends are closed by the bamboo nodes. Each end is adorned with cloth and beads.  In the Kalinga Province, men play the kolitong at night as a solo instrument.  A variety of bamboo tube zithers are found throughout the Philippine archipelago, each zither differing from the other in name, size, and design depending on its associated ethnic group.

Reference:  Beni Sokkong (2000). The Bambo Muse: Musical Instruments of the Kalinga (Visual Material). Kalinga, Philippines: Spokane Community College.