Unique Traditional Musical Instruments Minang Kabau

As an ethnic Minangkabau society also has a unique traditional musical instruments. One of many kind of them is "Saluang". Saluang is made of thin bamboo or "talang" (Schizostachyum brachycladum Kurz). with 4 hole. Saluang more simple than other kind of flute because it is made just adding 4 holes and finish. The dimension of saluang is 3-4 cm in diameter and 40-60 cm in length. It is related to the suling of other parts of Indonesia.

Saluang player can play that music instrument without interrupting for taking breath from start to end of song. They have developed special breath technique in blowing that instrument without stopping for breathtaking.

Minangkabau people believe that talang which is collected from rack of clothes dryer or found drifting in the river is a good material for making saluang. Traditionally Minangkabau people also use talang as a container for sticky rice food (lamang, lemang) and as horizontal rack for drying clothes under sunlight .