Filipino artisan, musician, and health advocate LJ Nabera is the first to create the Philippine handpan drum, a type of steelpan instrument played by striking the rim or center with the hands.
A unique and beautiful instrument, the handpan drum is a relatively new invention that is thought to have originated in Switzerland and then spread across Europe. Made from two high-quality steel hemispheres welded together at the edges, it is hollow inside. What makes this instrument so unique is the otherworldly sound it produces, perfect for meditation and spiritual practice.
LJ, who is also a health advocate, had always dreamed of owning his own handpan and was in the midst of making one until the pandemic hit the country.
“My dream started 10 years ago [with] “I wanted to have something of my own, and since I’m an artisan, I had the opportunity to start making things before the pandemic hit,” LJ told WhenInManila.com. “It was already an adjustment phase, but… [then the] The pandemic happened. [I] I had to give up my dream.”
He argued that making a handpan requires a lot of resources, which is why it is too expensive for Filipinos. “The handpan is a very sophisticated and complex instrument that requires time, energy, dedication and resources,” he added. [That’s why] it was [my] It is my dream to bring handpans to the people of the Philippines. They are very expensive and it is really difficult to buy them, especially with shipping, taxes and fees.”
Luckily, a friend reached out to him and he was able to continue his passion project.
“I surrendered, accepted defeat and trusted the timing of it all. But a month ago, an international artist-craftsman from Russia reached out to me and came here. In two weeks, we were able to make the first two Philippine-made handpans!” said LJ. “Our journey has brought us together through the shared vibrations of love, kindness and compassion.”
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