Sunse

The sunse isn't just an instrument. It's freedom. It's magic.

— Xyen musician

The sunse is the national instrument of Xye. It is a little more than two feet tall, with a round body, a long neck, and six strings. It is unique because it has a second sound hole, which can be opened and closed with a key, changing the resonance of the instrument.

The first Sunse was created in 1441 by Bruno Leach. This sunse was essentially a lute made from the wood of the Thoov Tree, but the wood gave the instrument a unique sound and was sought after by musicians.

Thoov wood was difficult to come by because locally, it was only found on Igbi and Lowoni. While the volcanos of these islands were necessary for the growth of the trees, they also made harvest difficult. Therefore, thoov lutes remained relatively uncommon. Those that were made, tended to be small.

In 1666, Safiya Sunse figured out how to produce a similar sound to a thoov lute by carving a second hole in the soundbox, making it easier to produce. This new instrument was quickly made famous by musician Cecile Cray, who wrote numerous songs for it about Xyen freedom from the anti-magic regime of Linakra, among them, Wild of Home, which later became the national anthem.

While the name "sunse" originally referred to the manufacturer, it quickly came to refer to the specific type of instrument. Over time, the body grew rounder, with a flat back, and in 1838, Aisha Johnston added a cover to the second hole, which could be opened and closed by pressing a key on the back of the neck. This change made the instrument explode in popularity for a second time, and over the next century came to be considered a national symbol by most Xyens. In 1950, it was officially declared the nation's national instrument.

Recently, some instrument manufacturers have found ways to purchase thoov wood, such as importing it from Brightland. Thoov wood sunses are still valued for their unique sound, and though the second hole was originally designed to mimic this sound, thoov wood sunses are still made with the second hole and its key. This is because the change of timbre that the second hole produces as the key is pressed and released has become an important part of sunse music.

Item type

Musical Instrument

Related ethnicities

• Xyen