The sasando, also called sasandu from Sandu or Sanu, is a tube zither, a harp-like traditional string instrument from Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
The name "sasando" comes from the Rote dialect word "sasandu," which means "vibrating" or "sounded instrument." It is believed that the sasando was known to the people of Rote as early as the 7th century.
The main part of the sasando is a bamboo tube that forms the frame of the instrument. Around the tube are wooden pieces that act as wedges, holding the strings stretched from the top to the bottom. These wedges keep the strings above the tube and allow for different string lengths, creating various musical notes. The bamboo tube is surrounded by a bag-like fan made of dried lontar or palmyra leaves (Borassus flabellifer), which helps amplify the sound. The sasando is played by inserting both hands into the strings through an opening on the front. The player uses their fingers to pluck the strings, similar to how a harp or kacapi is played.
The sasando can have 28 strings (called sasando engkel) or 56 strings (double strings).
Legend
According to local tradition, the sasando instrument has its roots in a folktale from the Rote people about a boy named Sangguana. The story tells of a boy who lived on Rote Island. One day, while he was caring for a grassland, he became tired and fell asleep under a palmyra tree. In his sleep, Sangguana dreamed of playing music on a special instrument. The sound and melody of the instrument were so beautiful that they left a strong impression on him. When he woke up, he could still remember the tones he had heard in the dream. He tried to fall asleep again to hear the music once more. In his second dream, he heard the same song and saw the same instrument. Sangguana enjoyed his dream, but he eventually had to wake up. To keep the sounds from his dream, he tried to recreate them. Using his memory, he made a musical instrument from palmyra leaves with strings in the middle. This creation became the beginning of the sasando.