In the traditional life of the past, jaw harps were used in the daily life of the Seediq people. Whether for leisure recreation, accompaniment for dances, expressing emotions, or even in proposing marriage, the reticent and conservative tribal people would play jaw harps. The jaw harp is called “tube” (in Tkdaya language) or “lubu” (in Toda and Truku languages), indicating the material used to make the harp: bamboo. Several other names were used based on the number of springs and the kind of material used in making the harp.

The single-spring bamboo jaw harp consists of one reed and can only make certain high-pitched sounds in a pleasant and lively style.

The single-spring metal jaw harp can make longer sounds and were used to deliver feelings between a man and a woman. The single-spring metal jaw harp was played by girls.

The two-spring metal jaw harp can make sounds within a range two scales higher than the single-spring harp. In the past when people played jaw harps to express their love, the two-spring metal jaw harps were played by a boy to show his love for a girl.

The four-spring jaw harp can range through all the four scales used by the Seediqs. In former times, when the girl’s parents accepted a marriage proposal, they would play the four-spring jaw harps to show their consent, and the father and the mother each played distinctive tunes.