What Is A Kolitong? Meaning And Origin Of This Musical Instrument

KOLITONG – In this topic, we will now talk and discuss about the Philippine musical instrument called a kolitong.

Meaning And Origins

It is a polychordal tube zither from Kalinga. A zither is a class of stringed instruments and the predecessor to guitar. This tube zither has six parallel strings running through the bamboo tube.

The tube, which is the body serves as the resonator and it can be a whole tube or a half tube , with both ends enclosed by bamboo nodes.

This can be used as a solo instrument at night by the Kalinga group. These are found from the Cordillera mountain ranges, Mindanao, and Palawan.

Its other names are:

Kalinga
- kuletong
- kulibet
Illongo
- kollesing
- kulesin
- kulising
Isneg
- kileteng
- kulitteng
- ohitang
- uritang
Ibaloi
- kaltsang
Ibanag
- kuritang
Manobo
- salorai
- saluray
- saluroy
- saw-ray
- tangkew
Subanun
- sigitan
Bilaan, Tagakaolo, T’Boli
- sloray
- senday
- sluray
- s’ludoy
Mansaka
- takuli
Tiruai
- tangke
Mangguagan, Diba-bawon
- tangko
- tangku
Palawan
- pageng

How is the instrument played?

It is played primarily by plucking using the player’s fingers. The Kalinga version does this by using the thumbs to pluck two strings on the frontal side, while the middle and index fingers are used to pluck the four strings on the dorsal side. One end of the instrument is made to rest on the lap.

The Subanun player usually plucks the strings and may be joined by another performer who taps a drone on the body of the instrument with two bamboo sticks.

The Ilonggo version involve a man holding the instrument while the woman striking the strings with bamboo sticks

The Tiurai version is played by two women: one plucks a drone while the other plucks a melody, both using a plectrum or a pick.