These devil chasers consist of a pair of split bamboo percussion sticks, 24" and 20", each with a tuning hole. Natural cracks will develop in the bamboo. This only adds to the awesome buzzing sound. They are made in the northern Indian State of Uttar Pradesh.
Also known as Buzz sticks, these split bamboo sticks were traditionally used in the Philippine Islands. They can be played in ensembles for the Kayabang dance; with separate players each playing one stick. In villages, people walking along carried the devil chaser to scare away animals (or spirits) in their path.
The bamboo makes a buzzing when the split ends are bounced off the palm or knee. The buzz is due to the crack that goes most of the way down the instrument. A small hole near the bottom is covered and uncovered by the thumb to produce a wah-wah effect.
