This gong belongs to a set of gongs known as tawak-tawak. It has a deep rim and a prominent boss. The gongs were either elaborately decorated with dragon motifs or left plain. They were hung in pairs, a foot apart, facing each other from a carved wooden stand. They are struck by a thick drumstick with a short handle. The resonant sound of a single note often rings for more than a minute. Tawak tawak were once used as signal gongs to call people together and played an important part in the orchestra accompanying a shadow play or wayang kulit. They also provided the background music to the traditional dancing in longhouses. Unlike the gongs used in Indonesia, they were not used as part of a gamelan orchestra. Gong smiths like kris smiths once worked in an atmosphere of mystery and magic. It is believed some gongs were believed to be protected by supernatural beings.
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