Namekas Music in Lake Chambri

On the southern shores of Lake Chambri Middle Sepik River live 1500 Pondospeaking villagers The Chambris trade fish mosquito nets and baskets for sago pottery and other goods All elements of the natural world are associated with spirits which have individual personalities and powers characterized in legend art and music A constant dialog between man and spirits is carried on through various communicative media including invocations dreams and music As this film beautifully reveals there is a wealth of musical tradition in Lake Chambri carved wooden drums whose lively vibrations are said to shake loose ripened fruits for harvest pairs of sacred bamboo flutes used in boys initiations and concealed from women orchestras of flutes identified with dogs or turkeys flutes captured in warfare used with dance masks to invoke fish and the panpipe with its melodies of mourning