Travels of Ibn Baṭṭūṭa
Male (Malè, Malé, al-Mahal)
Title
An instrument for announcements in Maldives
Short description
An instrument for announcements in Maldives similar to a basin made of copper and beaten with an iron stick, called "dunqura" by the author. According to Gibb (following C.H.B.Reynolds), Vol. IV, n. 50: "Kurd means a water pot; dun or dum means 'smoke'; alternatively, don means 'pale or ripe-coloured' ... A brass pot would be lo kura."
Text on source
ومن عادتهم ألَّا يركب أحد هنالك إلَّا الوزير. ولقد كنت لما أعطوني الفرس فركبته يتبعني الناس رجالًا وصبيانًا، يعجبون مني حتى شكوت له فضربت الدنقرة، وبرح في الناس ألَّا يتبعني أحد والدنقرة (بضم الدال المهمل وسكون النون وضم القاف وفتح الراء)، شبه الطست من النحاس تضرب بحديدة، فيسمع لها صوت على البعد، فإذا ضربوها حينئذٍ يبرح في الناس بما يراد [٤٢٢-٤٢٣]
English translation
Now it is their custom that no one rides there except the Wazīr, and when I had been given a horse and rode out on it, the population, men and boys, used to follow me in amazement. At length I complained to him, so he had the dunqura beaten and a public proclamation made that no one was to follow me. The dunqura is a sort of brass basin which is beaten with an iron rod and can be heard at a great distance; after beating it any proclamation which it is desired to make is publicly announced.
Folios/Pages
838
Date
1343 circa
Observations on the events description
The term "dunqura" might be a tentative transliteration made by the author. No other occurrences are known.
The dots on the map indicate the places where sound and music events were described. They don't represent travel stages.
Participants
No other participants in this event description.
How to quote
Pintimalli A., "An instrument for announcements in Maldives" (Event description), Echos. Sound Ecosystems in Travelogues. Published 2024 07 30.doi: 10.25430/echos.travels.130
This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 
