History and Theory of the Adyghean Clappers, by Alla Sokolova
| Alla Sokolova I could write at length about the Adyghean clappers. I have written a book about this instrument. However, this paper will first introduce the instrument, and then discuss some basic matters as well as some questions to which Russian researchers have, in the meantime, partly found answers. What are the Adyghean clappers? In the Adyghean language they are referred to as pkhachich – “pkha” is tree and “chich” is onomatopoeia. According to the systematization of Ernst Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs1, pkhachich refers to the group of simultaneously strucked idiophones (111.12: clappers). Pkhachich consists of 7 to 9 small (palm-size) simultaneously struck wooden plates that are fastened together by a leather attached to a handle. Comparable instruments exist in many cultures of the Caucasus: |
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Abasin clappers are referred to as “pkharchak”, Abkhazian - “ainkyaga”, Osetian - “karzganag”, Chechenian - “gemansh”, Karachaevs - “satrazialo”, Balkarian - “khars”. Со-struck idiophones occur among the Chuvashs - “satarma”, Tatars - “shaltyrma”, Mordwian - “shavoma”, Maris - “lochirtysh”. Chinese "pai-pan" and Japanese “kiokiriko”. Neapolitan “trikkabolakka” and Greek “kroupalon” belong to the same group as well.
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