A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO
THE ELEPHANT
When the Thai Government confiscated 99 pieces of contraband
ivory, the big question was what to do with it. The answer: use it to create
beautiful music which will pay tribute to the elephants.
In Thailand elephants are revered as part of the
national heritage. Their ivory is a rare commodity, a priceless possession.
And musical instruments made from or inlaid with ivory are most precious
of all, belonging only to great music masters or royal households.
The confiscated ivory most likely came from Africa,
judging from its off white colour, while Asian ivory is typically beige
in
colour. Rather than destroy the contraband, the Government decided
to pay tribute to our national symbol by using the ivory to create 48 special
pieces – a whole orchestra - of Thai musical instruments.
The task of preparing these unique musical instruments
was given to Navy Captain Choosak Egobol, who grew up in Samut Songkram,
an area known for its Thai musical prowess. A member of the Navy's Thai
Musical Orchestra, Captain Choosak was keen to dedicate the instruments
to the Royal Thai Navy.
Craftsmen from the Fine Arts Department were brought
in to carefully craft and inlay the ivory, to achieve a complete set of
magnificent instruments for playing Thai music.
The percussion, the most important part of a Thai
orchestra, was embellished with delicate designs, especially an ornate
garuda, a mythical half-bird half-human creature. To create the right visual
impact, the ivory was sliced into 2-3 millimetre pieces and then slotted
into the wooden frame. The completed instrument was carefully polished
for a brilliant finish.
The treble gamelan (ranad ek), a xylophone-style
instrument, is usually made of rare hard wood. It was designed with graceful
curves to look like a beautiful boat, styled with ivory. The artist added
a fierce naga head to enhance the look of the instrument, whose base features
a traditional Thai design.
Pipes and fiddles, made from carefully turned pieces
of ivory, were further enhanced with inlaid mother-of-pearl. The resultant
orchestral pieces are so exquisite, they are only brought out for special
performances. Yet we can admire their form and beauty, while paying tribute
to the elephants.
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