Instruments of cuba series no. 1 - chekeré
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THE CHEKERE IS AN INSTRUMENT HAILING FROM WEST AFRICA AND CONSISTS OF A DRIED GOURD WITH BEADS WOVEN INTO A NET COVERING THE GOURD’S SURFACE. THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENT THERE ARE SIMILAR
GOURD/BEAD OR GOURD/SEED PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS. THIS PARTICULARY INSTRUMENT IS USED BOTH WITHIN FOLKLORIC TRADITIONS AND POPULAR MUSIC STYLES. IN PERFORMANCE IT IS SHAKEN AND/OR HIT AGAINST
THE HANDS. IN CUBA THE CHEKERÉ (ALWAYS SPELLED THUS) IS ALSO KNOWN AS AGGUÉ (ABWE) OR GUIRO (A WORD THAT MEANS ‘GOURD’, THOUGH NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH A DIFFERENT PERCUSSIVE INSTRUMENT,
MORE SPECIFICALLY KNOWN AS A _GUIRO_ WORLDWIDE AND “RAKED” WITH A STICK AS FOUND IN SALSA AND CUMBIA GENRES. THE CHEKERE’ ROUND, ATTACHED IS ALMOST ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY A NETWORK OF CORDS,
TO WHICH MANY COLORED BEADS ARE ATTACHED. WIDELY USED IN AFRO-CUBAN SACRED AND POPULAR MUSIC, IT MAY BE TWISTED, SHAKEN OR SLAPPED BY AN OPEN HAND WHICH PRODUCES A VARIETY OF PERCUSSIVE
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