Gourd shekere from
Africa with seeds in the net.
The shekere is a percussion instrument from Africa, consisting of a dried gourd with beads woven into a net covering the gourd. Throughout the continent it is called different things, such as the lilolo, axatse (Ghana), and chequere. It is predominantly called shekere in Nigeria.
The shekere is made from small gourds that grow on the ground. The shape of the gourd determines the sound of the instrument. A shekere is made by drying the gourd for several months then removing the pulp and seeds. After it is scrubbed, skillful bead work is added as well as colour.
The instrument is used for folkloric as well as some of the popular music. In performance it is shaken and/or hit against the hands.
In Cuba the chekeré (always spelt thus) is also known as agbé, aggué (abwe) or simply guiro (a word that means 'gourd'). It is a large, hollow gourd (~50cm long) almost surrounded by a network of cords to which many coloured beads are attached. It is of African origin, and is widely used in Afro-Cuban sacred and popular music. It may be twisted, shaken or slapped to produce a subtle variety of effects; musically, it is much more flexible than maracas. [1][2]
In Brazil, it is called a xequerê. It consist of a gourd (cabaça) cut in the middle and then wrapped in a net in which beads or small plastic balls are threaded. The afoxé is a similar, smaller instrument.
