Article

Name: The Tuvan demir-khomus jaw harp: history of research, morphology, and performance

Authors: E. L. Tiron

Institute of Philology of the SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia

In the section Этномузыковедение

Abstract:

This article is dedicated to the metallic heteroglot jaw harp of the Tuvans, known as the demir-khomus (i.e., an instrument with a vibrating tongue made of a different material than the frame). An examination was conducted of instruments held within Russian museum collections (Kyzyl, Yakutsk, St. Petersburg, and others). The data analyzed include published sources and materials gathered during a field expedition to Tuva in 2025. This expedition was part of the Cycle of Folklore Expeditions for the Preparation of Intangible Ethnocultural Heritage Objects, organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Russian State House of Folk Art, and the Republican Center for Folk Art and Leisure. The author identifies two Tuvan demir-khomus varieties (arc-shaped and plate-shaped) and details the evolution of their recording and research, spanning from the late 19th century to the modern era. The article describes the playing techniques and genre forms of Tuvan jaw harp music, which are suggested to relate closely to the sphere of musical performance. Particular attention is given to the professionalization of the jaw harp performance in Tuva, beginning in the 1930s, and the emergence and spread of ensemble playing in the second half of the twentieth century. However, it is noted that the khomus persisted in the realm of folklore even as it began to be performed onstage. Currently, a decline in the popularity of khomus music is observed in the Republic of Tuva. Cultural institutions conduct various competitions featuring masters and performers of the khomus to promote this musical instrument.

Keywords: jaw harp, khomus, demir-khomus, traditional musical instruments, instrumental music, Tuvans, ethnomusicology

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