How it began
The fujara is traditionally played by Slovak shepherds and is regarded as an integral part of the traditional culture of central Slovakia. UNESCO associates it with the Podpoľanie region, whose musicians made it known across the country. One instrument maker's history describes it as a bass form of the three-hole whistles that were widespread in Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries. The sources opened give no date for its first making.
How it works
The main tube measures 160 to 200 cm and is connected to a shorter tube of 50 to 80 cm. It has three finger holes on the lower part of the body, and the sound is produced by a fipple at the upper end. The length of the instrument gives deep, "mumbling" tones in the low register and very high overtones. Each instrument carries elaborate, individual ornamentation, and UNESCO treats it as an artifact of artistic value as well as an instrument.
How it spread
In the course of the 19th and 20th centuries the fujara became known and appreciated beyond the shepherds' use. Through festivals, the instrument as played by musicians from Podpoľanie gained recognition and popularity throughout Slovakia. The repertoire consists of melancholic melodies tied to the shepherds' life and work, and of sounds that imitate nature, such as the gurgle of a stream.
Where it stands today
The fujara is played mainly from spring to autumn by professional musicians and a few remaining shepherds performing at festivals. UNESCO proclaimed it a masterpiece of heritage in 2005 and inscribed it on the Representative List in 2008. It notes that social change and young people's distance from traditional arts threaten the practice, and that efforts are under way to preserve the craft.
