In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, shawms — called rgya-gling — are always played in pairs. Similar double- reed woodwind instruments are found around the world, perhaps introduced by trade or developed independently. In Tibetan monastic ensembles, one shawm carries the melody while the other plays a variation. The colors of this pair’s glass embellishments hold meaning: blue reminds monks of the renowned patience of the monk Akshobhya Buddha, and red represents the duality of life-giving yet destructive fire. May is #SmithsonianAANHPI Heritage Month! Join the NMM, the Smithsonian, and other Smithsonian Affiliates in celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the many peoples from Asian and Asian American diasporic communities. The NMM is highlighting different instruments currently on display from AANHPI traditions, like this one! #SmithsonianAANHPI #AANHPI #AANHPIHeritageMonth #APIHeritageMonth (fb)

May is #SmithsonianAANHPI Heritage Month! Join the NMM, the Smithsonian, and other Smithsonian Affiliates in celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the many peoples from Asian and Asian American diasporic communities. Dancing to the beat of percussion instruments, elaborately masked Baining men celebrate life events in Papua New Guinea — births, deaths, hunts, harvests. For the Baining, masks symbolize Animist spiritual beliefs on multiple levels. They represent the living spiritual essence of the natural world, especially animals and insects. The cycle of life is reflected in the practice of creating a mask, using it once, and discarding it to decay. In recent years, the Baining often perform these intricate dances for tourists. This elaborate mask isn’t considered an instrument, although its wearer can vocalize through the bamboo tube. Among the Baining people of Papua New Guinea, such masks are made and worn exclusively by men for fire dances — nighttime ceremonies that celebrate hunting. The masks are abandoned in the forest after one use. Made of perishable materials — paper-thin bark, rattan, wicker, and bamboo — the fragile masks decay quickly, returning to the earth. This “cobweb mask” depicts a spider, which the Baining consider evil. Come in and see this instrument on display today! #SmithsonianAANHPI #AANHPI #AANHPIHeritageMonth #APIHeritageMonth (fb)