The metal pestle commonly used in the kitchen is an instrument of the family of directly struck idiophones.

Way of playing

The mortar is held from underneath with one hand. With the other hand the mace is taken and the interior walls are struck to mark the rhythm.

History

As in other neighboring cultures, in some places in Navarra this type of kitchen tools have been used to set the rhythm of the songs, such as in Valdizarbe-Izarbe Ibarraldea to accompany Christmas songs.

These instruments have also been used in some of our ancient customs. R. M. Azkue (1959) collected the following:

“At weddings, the newlyweds who do not celebrate a wedding party are blown the horn, mortars and cowbells. The same is done when an old widower or widower marries (AN-lar, S-bark, G-amez-zeg-arron)” (p. 278).

Father Donostia (1947) also grants this function:

“Almirez.-Small metal mortar, which when rhythmically struck with the handle accompanying a song, becomes a percussion instrument. It is one of the instruments used when the cencerrada is given to a person.” (p. 117)

SOURCES

Bibliography

AZKUE, R. M. (1959). Euskalerriaren Yakintza (tomo I). Madrid: Espasa Calpe.

BELTRAN ARGIÑENA, Juan Mari. (1996). Soinutresnak en la música popular vasca. Hernani: Orain.DONOSTIA, Aita. (1947). Instrumentos de música popular española. AM, nº 11 (1947). Obras Completas del P. Donostia. (Tomo II, 113-180). Bilbao: ED. La Gran Enciclopedia Vasca.