Dabakan is a conical drum among the Maguindanaon and the Maranao. The Dabakan is a single-headed goblet-shaped drum with animal hide stretched on the top.
Its skin may come from a goat, lizard, or snake. It is struck with two thin bamboo sticks that produce high-pitched sounds.
Used by the Maranao and Maguindanao in their kulintang ensembles, the Dabakan accompanies the kulintang ensemble with its rhythmic patterns.
During a performance, the position of the Dabakan is to the right of the kulintang player, near the end of its frame. Traditionally, it is considered a masculine instrument by the Maranao but a feminine instrument by the Maguindanao.
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