gourd maraca pair

One of the most recognizable of the percussion instruments a pair of rattles made from gourds. 

Slender dry gourds are carved and transformed into maracas after they are hollowed out and filled with metallic rattling pieces or natural seeds.

Using a buril (extremely sharp and pointy small carving knife) each gourd is carved, cleaned and its interior sanded masterfully. Then with a technique known as pyrography the gourd is "burned" in places to achieve the right shading and color tones. Eucalyptus embers and a primitive flame torch are used for this technique

Due to the handmade nature of these maracas, each piece is unique, adorned with ancestral designs and animal figures.

Size and shape vary and can range from (not limited to) 15 to 20 cm in length