Karalan-ralano momonsoi do sompoton
The Making of the Sompoton

Kiwaro piro-piro ot kakamot gunoon do momonsoi do sompoton. Om oinsanan do kakamot diti nga omilo do ihumon do hilo id kotolunan. Tu ainsanan kakamot diti nga susumuni id kotolunan.

There are a few things needed to make the sompoton and these things are naturally found in the jungle.

Koiso nopo kopio nga ih korobu toi ko tou.

The first one is the korobu or the gourd.

Iti nopo korobu nga iso susumuni id kotolunan. Nga baino obuli nogi do tonomon id natad do walai. Korobu di notuoh toi ko nokupang, kotuon mantad id guas dau. Iduon ot linsou om koringon noh. Soiro orikot oh kapamansayan ruhakan noh ih korobu tumanud dii ginayo do sumbiling di posusukon. Kogunoon nopo do korobu nga sosompuion om wayan do ribut mantad kabang di monompui.

It grows wildly in the jungle but nowadays it can be planted in our own backyard. The mature gourd is plucked from its vine, the seeds removed and the shell dried. When the time comes for the sompoton to be made, a hole will be cut in the korobu. The size of the hole is based on the size of the bamboo put in. The korobu functions as a chamber to be blown into by the performer.

Koduo nopo nga ih sumbiling.

Secondly, is the sumbiling or the small bamboo.

Iti nopo sumbiling oubas do sumuni id konuluhan. Guno nopo do sumbiling diti nga ih guas dau. Tagadon om pompodon oh guas do sumbiling diti (miaga id gambal) om sidangan gisom do okiring. Soiro orikot kapamansayan pilion noh iti guas ih kapadan do tuni di iman-imanan.

The sumbiling normally grows in the hilly area. The part of the plant neede is the stalk. The suitable and chosen stalk therefore will be cut into shorter pieces (as shown in the picture) and dried. When the time of making the sompoton comes, the suitable stalks will be chosen and cut into different lengths based on the sound intended to produce.

Kotolu nopo kakamot di gunoon nga polod.

Thirdly, is a kind of palm tree called polod.

Polod ponogi ngaa susumuni id kotohunan. Tatason ih papa do polod om uwakon noh ih kulit dau do jodion do sodi. Soira oh ouwak ih kulit di sidangan iri, mangan nodi orusai ih kulit do jodion do sodi. Soira do momonsoi, posokoton ih sodi kumaa id pinompod do sumbiling ih nopombod noh laid. Monguni oh sodi diti soira do osompui.

The polod grows in the hilly area. The bark of the polod will be cut and its skin will be peeled to make the sodi. Before that, the bark will be dried under the sun and scraped into fine pieces of sodi. The sodi will be stuck onto one end of the sumbiling stalk. The function of the sodi is to produce sound.

Kaapat nopo ngaa ih loputung toi ko solingkawang.

Fourthly, is the fern known as loputung or solingkawang.

Gunoon iti do sabagai pongogos do pinompod guas do sumbiling. Ontoron om boliton ih kiginumu walu pinompod do sumbiling diri moi do au ouriyas.

This fern grows in the clearance in the jungle. Its stalk will be cut, the skin peeled and the strands from the inner side of the stalk taken and dried. These strands will be split into fine strings. It is used as a string to tie the bamboo pipes together into a two layered raft.

Tohuri nopo nga ih sopinit.

Lastly, is the beeswax called sopinit.

Aanu oh sopinit diti mantad iso tutumulud ih roitan do tantadan.

The wax is derived from a a kind of bee that normally inhabits a hole in a tree or in the stalk of a bamboo. This bee can be found in the jungle but also can be reared at home.

Gunoon oh sopinit diti do poposokot dii pinompod do sumbiling moi do au ouriyas. Gunoon oh nogi oh sopinit diti do monopilut di sumbiling om kopisokot di korobu dii noruhakan noh mantad tu au noh kalabus ih ribut di posompuyon.

The wax is used as a glue to stick the lamellae onto the bamboo pipes. It is also used to seal the tiny gaps between the bamboo pipes and the gourd so that the air does not escape.

Opongoh nopo ngawii iri om omilo nodi do sompuion ih sompoton. Oyiang om olundus oh tuni do sompoton miagal dii rongoh-rongohon dikoyu do baibano diti.

After all this, the sompoton is now ready to be played. It produces a harmonious sound, soothing to the ears as you can now hear it in the background.

Aau ih osusa do momompoi do sompoton sabab kowoyo-woyo do tuni dau tumanud do korohian om kupupirimono ginawo songulun-songulun di orohian do monompui.

It is not difficult to play the sompoton because it is up to the player to produce any melody based on the player's mood.

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