Papua New Guines – Sandaun Province
Telefolmin Area People – Mountain Ok  People

Wood, pink natural pigment
Early-Mid 1900s
Length: 40 in
Membranophones- Directly Struck

A Telefolmin area drum called ‘wot’, in the district of Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Telefolmin. Its inhabitants include the Mountain Ok people, a cultural group with numerous sub-groups including the Telefol, the Urapmin, the Wopkaimin, and the Oksapmin.

This hourglass-shaped hand-drum is carved from a single piece of wood, featuring deep and bold traditional motifs on the bottom base in black, white and red.  The drum (tympanum) has a single drumhead made from a lizard skin that is help in place by glue from the sap of a tree.  To improve the sound, small lumps of beewax are pressed into the skin. 

According to ‘Drum Museum’ a few Mountain-OK groups make their own drums, as most are imported from the Atbalmin to the west. Nevertheless, the design is the same throughout the area, but the meanings of the design elements may vary.

Culturally, the men in their twenties learn how to play the drum in the fifth of seven stages of initiation, called wotban.  This practice is connected to their ritual practice in learning about cultural heroes, death, and fertility.

Resource: https://drummuseum.com/New-Guinea/telefomin-area-drums-new-guinea.html