West Africa
West African

Calabash, vegetable roots, string
Mid 20th Century
Length: 15 inches
Idiophone – Struck Indirectly – Shaken -Rattle

A favorite type of African rattle is the hollowed calabash covered with a loose netting of beads or seeds and in this case, vegetable roots. This is a rather large rattle and it was most likely played by tapping the gourd with one hand or pulling the strings at the top, while holding the stem with the other hand.  Smaller calabash/gourd rattles are shaken and or struck against the hands in creating sounds of rhythmic patterns to accompany singing.