gajda
Gajda is a term used in Slavic-speaking regions with several related meanings. The most common referent is a traditional bagpipe in the Balkan bagpipe family. The gajda has a bag that stores air, a chanter for the melody, and one or more drones that provide harmony. The player inflates the bag by mouth and squeezes it to produce sound. Regional variants differ in the number and tuning of drones, the length of the chanter, materials used, and playing technique. Gajdas are a feature of folk music in the Balkans and neighboring areas, where they accompany dances, weddings, and shepherd rituals. They are typically used in ensembles with other traditional instruments, and repertoire ranges from simple tunes to ornamented melodies with distinctive drone patterns.
Gajda is also a surname in several Slavic countries and can appear as a toponym in some