The buhay () (also known as a bugai, buhai, berebenytsia, bika, buga, bochka) is a musical instrument that is used in

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

and is classified as a friction drum. ''Buhay'' is the Ukrainian word for great bittern (Botaurus stellaris), and its use as name of the instrument refers to the sound produced. The mating call or contact call of the male Buhay (Botaurus stellaris) is a deep, sighing fog-horn or bull-like boom with a quick rise and an only slightly longer fall, easily audible from a distance of 3 mi (4.8 km) on a calm night. Hornbostel-Sachs classification number 232.11-92 The buhay consists of a conical barrel (sometimes a wooden bucket). At one end a sheep membrane is stretched with a hole in this skin's center. Through this hole a tuft of horse hair with a knot at one end is passed. Usually two performers are needed to operate the instrument, one to hold the instrument, the other to pull the horsehair with moistened fingers. In recent times versions of the buhay have been made which are held in position by the players feet allowing one player to play the instrument. These instruments can be played successfully by one player without assistance. Five to six different sounds can be obtained from the instrument, depending on the skill of the player. The buhay plays an important part in New Years and Christmas rituals. It is used in works by the Ukrainian folk instruments orchestra. The buhay and local variants is common to Ukraine,

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

(called ''buhai''),

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Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

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, and

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(with various regional names: ''burczybas'', "grumbling bass", brzãczadło, brzãczëdło, brzãczk, mrëczk, bąk, bùk, brantop, brumtop, brumbas "friction drum with a cord (burczybas)"
/ref>). The buhay has been used as a leading instrument in the title track on the album "Vidlik" by the Ukrainian electronic experimental music band ONUKA. It is also used as a leading instrument in the "Boogaj Boogie" song by Ukrainian neofolk rock ethnofussion gospel band "Voanerges".

References

Samples and Pictures of Ukrainian Instruments
*Humeniuk, A. - ''Ukrainski narodni muzychni instrumenty'' - Kyiv: Naukova dumka, 1967 *Mizynec, V. - ''Ukrainian Folk Instruments'' - Melbourne: Bayda books, 1984 *Cherkaskyi, L. - ''Ukrainski narodni muzychni instrumenty'' - Tekhnika, Kyiv, Ukraine, 2003 - 262 pages. {{reflist Ukrainian musical instruments Romanian musical instruments Friction drums pl:Burczybas

See also

References