Long Seed

Double Weave Plastic

Gourd ball maraca - 8.00 On a stick  10./ea.

Triple seed maraca - 10.00

Tin maraca -12./ea. With cloth -14.00

 Gourd maraca w/ wire & fiber handle 10./ea.  

Gourd maraca w/carved and painted design 12./pr.

Televi sm. 6.00,  med. 8.00,  lg.- 10.00

Kosika / Televi / Kashaka - Known by various different names, this is a simple musical instrument played by children and adults in West Africa.  Two small gourds are filled with seeds and attached to each end of a string.  To play, one of the balls is held in the palm with the string going between the first and middle fingers and laying over the thumb.  The other ball is flipped over the top of the hand and caught in the back of the palm with the little finger.   It makes a clicking sound when the two balls hit each other and a rattling sound as the two balls are moved around. 

Triple row leg rattle 12./ea. 15./ea.

Tin Maraca - Traditional rattle from Yorubaland. The rattles made from recycled tin cartons and pea size natural seeds are placed inside.  Makes a hard metallic sound.

KPOKO-KPOKO - Double ended wooden bell from eastern Nigeria. This rattle produces a very unique wood rattling sound. These are traditionally used by herbalists and in masquerade dances. Click here to find out more about Kpoko-Kpoko rattles.

CAXIXI  -    pronounced ca-she-she.   The caxixi is a generally considered a woven basket type rattle with some type of natural seed or rocks inside and with a gourd or metal bottom. Played either in pairs or singularly, there is a wide range of sounds this musical instrument creates depending on size, fill type inside and thickness or density of the bottom.

From Benin

From Ghana

Y-RATTLE - Made with a round cane or rattan material. Flattened bottle caps are used for the jingles. Makes a light metallic tambourine sound. They are easy to hold and play.  Based on the ancient sistrum rattle found in Egypt and still played today in East Africa.

Price 10.00/ea.

CLACK CLACK  -  12.00 each

     EKPIRI -  Smooth, shiny palm seeds strung to a wooden stick, string handle, or attached to a woven raffia belt.  About the size of a brazil nut, these seed rattles have a twinkling piercing sound. Held in the hand and shaken to keep time or wrapped around the leg or waist to add rhythm to a dancers moves. From Ibo part of Nigeria.

IDEH - Nickel size seeds attached to a palm fiber belt. Used as an arm or leg rattle, they have a soft, sprinkling sound. These seeds grow mainly in the eastern region of Nigeria. The rattles are used by dancers in traditional and masquerade dances. Click here to read more about these rattles.

IDI - Over 100 seeds attached to a woven palm leaf fiber band. Used as an arm or leg rattle, these seeds produce a wonderfully soft rainstick sound. Slightly smaller seeds than the Ideh rattles, the idi seeds are about the size of a peanut. These rattles are common in eastern Nigeria. Click here to read more about these rattles.

PALM  FROND  RATTLE

Folded palm leaf strips with small seeds inside each compartment are strung together with nylon cord. Wrapped around the arm or leg by dancers and drummers, this rattle adds a rhythmic accompaniment to the users movements. 20" long 3.00 each

GOAT TOE RATTLE  - Cleaned and dried, the goat hoofs produce a shake shake sound. Attached to either a cloth band with velcro or, on a wood stick.

SHEKERE -   Nigerian gourd shakers. From smallest to XX-large sizes. Bead color and designs vary. Most shekere use a standard, 1/4" x 3/8" plastic bead. The two smallest sizes have a small round bead. There are two types of netting available, one with regular amount of beads, another with more beads. Click here to see more pictures

TOGO SEED RATTLE - About 3/8" thick and 2" across, these hollow brown seeds make a hard clacking sound, like horses hooves on pavement. There are always twelve of these seeds found in a long bean pod. They are removed and dried, later one end is cut and a hard gum is pulled from the inside of each seed.  Made into bunches with a string handle or attached to a woven grass belt. Dancers in Togo tie belts of these seeds around their waists to create a rhythmic effect while singing and dancing. Click here to read more about these rattles.

GITA -  The is a calabash bowl with shells tied to it's edge. It is usually played by women. It is held with both hands and twisted back and forth, the shells or beads clack against the hard bowl to make music. It can also be plopped cut side down a beat like a drum.

Peru Seed  -   I am not sure what type of seeds these are but they are from Peru. they are grouped in hand held bunches. It's a nice sound! Price - 10.00 each bunch

Bamboo Kata