A term for a frame drum and a conical drum in Malaysia and Indonesia. The rebana frame drum has a goatskin head laced with rattan or tacked to a wooden frame, and is often tautened by pressing a piece of rattan into its inner rim. Some rebana have an additional cane hoop at the base end of the body and several wood wedges which are inserted between the body and the hoop to tauten the drum head. Rebana may vary from 12 cm to 45 cm in diameter. The frame drum with a tacked drum head is also called kompang in Malaysia, while the type with a tacked head and jingles inserted in the wooden frame is called hadrah, rebana kercing, tar. In some areas of Sumatra frame drums are called rapa'i; in Java they are called terbang. Rebana frame drums are most often played in ensemble, in an interlocking style, to accompany the singing of zikir (songs in praise of God and the Prophet Muhammad) and religious and ceremonial processions. In Malaysia they are also found in various theatrical ensembles such as mekmulung and the Islamic-derived vocal forms known as hadrah, dabus, rodat and rebana kercing.
The rebana riba (redap) is a frame drum with a cowhide membrane which has the same basic construction as the usual rebana. Formerly it was used in the main puteri healing ceremony, but has been replaced by the double-headed gendang (barrel drum).
The rebana besar (‘large’) of West Malaysia is the largest of the conical drums, with a head of at least one metre in diameter and a height of 1·2 metres. The body is made of merbau hardwood and the buffalo- or cowhide head is braced by a cane hoop and laced with rattan thongs, attached to a separate cane hoop at the base end of the body, while 15 or more wooden tuning wedges are inserted between the base of the body and the cane hoop. The drum is suspended with the head in a vertical position and played by two players, using their hands. Found only in the state of Kelantan, this drum primarily accompanies the singing of zikir. The rebana kecil (‘small’) or rebana anak (‘child’) is identical in construction, but smaller in size and may be used on ceremonial occasions.
The rebana ubi (for illustration see Malaysia, fig.2), originating in Kelantan, Malaysia, is similar to the rebana besar in construction but is made in several sizes, all slightly smaller than the rebana besar. The tuning wedges vary in number from 11 to 15 or more. The wedges, rattan laces and the rim of the drum head are painted in bright colours and with geometric patterns. The drum, usually played by two players, is placed on the ground with the drum head in a vertical or horizontal position and is beaten with a padded beater or with the players' hands in an interlocking style. A typical ensemble consists of at least six to eight drums. Rebana ubi are played for entertainment after the rice harvest and in urban settings on festival and ceremonial occasions. They are probably best known in Kelantan for their use in drum competitions between villages and towns. (P. Matusky: ‘An introduction to the Major Instruments and Forms of Traditional Malay Music’, AsM, xvi (1985), 133–6)
JACK PERCIVAL BAKER DOBBS/PATRICIA MATUSKY