Conch Shell (jilel)
The conch shell, triton, or jilel in Marshallese is a type of spiral shell that was commonly used as an instrument in the Marshall Islands. By blowing it in different ways and drilling holes into it, the Marshallese people made different sounds and tones that served for music when singing and dancing (Curtis 1986).
Figure 3. Drawing of jilel from: Alele Museum and Public Library..
Aje Drum
The aje drum is an hourglass-shaped drum traditional to the Marshall Islands. Its body is made out of a tapered kiden (Messerschmidia argentea) tree or kone (Pisonia grandis) wood, and the membrane is the skin of the inner lining of a shark’s stomach. About 3 to 4 feet long, with a diameter of about 1 foot, the aje drum was usually played by the women, placing it across the lap and beating it in times of war and in dances. Special staffs or sticks were also used as a percussion instrument in the Marshall Islands, present in performances such as the jobwa dance which involved the aje drum, jilel, and chanting (Curtis 1986).
Figure 4. Real-life aje drum from: Alele Museum and Public Library..
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