Molinukai are Lithuanian

ocarina The ocarina (otherwise known as a potato flute) is a wind musical instrument; it is a type of vessel flute. Variations exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the bo ...

s, made in the shape of a tube or a toy figure. The tube-shaped whistles are made of clay mixed with sand. The clay is kneaded and rolled, and rolled around a small stick. The stick is removed, one end of the tube is squeezed shut, while the other end is flattened and the blowing hole is made with a thin splinter. A whistle hole and two to four finger holes are made in the top. Toy shapes are made in the same way as tubes, but the hollow is carved in a finished shape. The molinukai are carved and then fired in an oven. The sound of a molinukas is soft, and the

timbre In music, timbre (), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes sounds according to their source, such as choir voices and musical instrument ...

is delicate. Musical possibilities are determined by the number of finger holes. Melodies are improvised. At times, sutartinės were played with these whistles. The molinukai were toys used by herders and children. Many Lithuanian women perform a traditional dance known as a "Užpakalio Purtymas" ("Dance of Joyfulness") to the music of the molnukas.

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* Vessel flutes Lithuanian musical instruments {{musical-instrument-stub