Authentic Music Souvenir Making (Tungna Making)

A 15–20 day Tungna Making Experience in Thulo Syabru is a slow, immersive cultural residency led by local Tamang artisans. Participants live with a host family and learn the complete process of making a traditional tungna—from understanding its cultural meaning and respectfully sourcing materials to carving, shaping, tuning, and finally playing the instrument.

Learning happens at the rhythm of village life, with rest days, shared meals, forest walks, occasional evening fire circles, and storytelling woven into the process. The experience concludes with participants playing their own handmade tungna in a communal singing circle, carrying home not just an instrument, but a deep understanding of Tamang music, craftsmanship, and Himalayan living traditions.

Starting Point: Syabru Nomads Basecamp

Grade: N/A

Highest Access: 2200m

Accommodation: Syabru Nomads Basecamp

Transportation: Walking

Best Seasons: Spring, Autumn, Summer

Thulo Syabru Tungna Making | Led by Local Tamang Artisans

Highlights

Spending Quality time with Tamang Family
Settle into village life in Thulo Syabru, sharing daily routines, meals, and evenings by the fire with your host family.
Tungna Playing Circles.
Begin with nights of storytelling and tungna songs to understand the soul of the instrument before touching any tools.
Forest Walk for Material Knowledge.
Guided walks to learn how tungna wood is traditionally selected, the seasons for cutting, and the Tamang ethic of taking only what is needed.
Hand-Carving the Tungna
Shaping and hollow the instrument using traditional tools, learning measurements by hand and eye rather than machines.
Fire & Wood Techniques: Use heat and patience to refine the sound chamber, understanding how warmth, time, and listening shape the instrument.
Skin & Soundboard Preparation: Learn traditional and modern methods for preparing the soundboard, including ethical discussions around materials.
Stringing & First Sound Attach strings and hear the first voice of your tungna—quiet, imperfect, and alive.
Tuning by Ear
Adjust sound slowly through listening, tension, and rest, guided by experienced musicians.
Personal Marking & Simple Decoration
Add subtle carvings or symbols, learning the balance between beauty and humility. Learning Basic Playing & Singing with Tungna
Practice basic rhythms and Tamang folk songs, understanding when and why each song is sung.
Village Evenings & Fire Circles
Regular nights of shared singing, tea, and stories after the instrument is ready—where learning happens without instruction.
Community Sharing Night
Play your handmade tungna in a singing circle.
Departure with Your own Tungna
Leave Thulo Syabru carrying an instrument shaped by your hands and the village’s way of life.