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The shekere originated in the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. It is made from a hollowed gourd or calabash. The gourd/calabash is the cousin to the pumpkin or squash. Most people think that it is a wooden instrument made from pottery, but it is ~Music Made Naturally~ from the ground up. (As seen in the picture below; click to enlarge.) It varies in shape and size and is commonly grown on a vine similar to the squash. The calabash can be used as a container for water and used as utensils. The gourd by itself without the string and beads (skirt) represents the female entity or essence from it's shapely resemblence to the womb. Once you add the skirt, together they represent the balance of the male and female entity or essence. The gourd is then recognized as the male entity and the skirt is the female entity. Hitting the gourd and shaking the beads shows how the male and the female work together under balance.
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"Shekere" is the name called when the gourd is transformed with the skirt. It comes in many shapes and sizes, is played in a variety of styles, and has many different names. In Africa it is found primarily, but not exclusively, in the countries of Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Benin, and Sierra Leone. Different language groups in each country often have their own names, styles, techniques, and traditions associated with the shekere. Shekeres among the Yoruba tribe are often connected with Orishas. In Nigeria, the very large beaded calabash is called an "agbe", and traditionally is owned and played only by professional musicians. Throughout West Africa you will also find smaller gourds, covered with a woven net of cowry shells which is tied off at the bottom, leaving a tail of loose strings. In Ghana and Togo among the Ewe language group it is known as the "axatse" and is often used to accompany a drum or bell orchestra on important occasions. In Sierra Leone you will find a similar type of shekere with a very loose net and long tail, often called a "shake-shake" or "shaburay".
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Below are pictures of the shekere process. Sanding, drying, painting, stringing, and beading. It's not SISTRUM authentic, unless it has my signature!!
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