Maracas
The maracas (from the Guarani "mbaraka") are an idiophone and oscillation instrument made up of a hollow spherical part supported by a handle that passes through it, or is attached to it. Inside it is filled with small percussive elements. Which produce sound when shaken against the inner wall of the sphere.
In Cuban-influenced popular Latin dance music and Venezuelan llanero folklore, as well as the folklore of some rhythms from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, they are usually found in pairs, one for each hand, hence the name plural term "maracas". Maracas are characteristic of Latin music.
Pedro José Ramírez Sendoya defines the maraca as: Rattle of the Indian orchestras. Word of Taino-Caribbean origin Maraka; Bell. In the Arawuka language: Malaka. In the Tupi language Ta-Maraca; Bell tower.
They originate from the indigenous tribes mainly of the Orinoco, who used them for ceremonial purposes long before the arrival of the Spanish, although usually not in pairs. Besides
Even the Native Americans who were known as the Hopi of the American Southwest used rattles that were made from turtle shells and baskets.
This is the true origin of the Ibero-American maraca, making it very difficult to find a trace that is more similar to its true origin.
Structure
It is made up of a spherical part of dried gourd, generally totumo, with seeds or pebbles inside and a wooden handle that goes through or adheres to the gourd and serves, at the same time, as a support for the gourd.
Uses
Peru
They are made from a fruit called "Huingo"; its usefulness is to make folk music in our Peruvian jungle.
Cuba
The medium-sized maracas have been used in all kinds of genres born on the island: guaracha, bolero, son montuno, rumba. From Cuban music it passed its use to the guaracha or salsa.
Venezuelan
Traditional maracas
They are made from the fruit of the tapara and filled with seeds called capachos. They originate from the indigenous tribes mainly of the Orinoco, who used them for ceremonial purposes long before the arrival of the Spanish, although usually not in pairs.
In the Venezuelan plains they are used as an accompaniment to the harp and the cuatro in joropo ensembles.
The one who plays them is known as a maraquero. Despite the simplicity of the instrument, the llanera maracas have achieved an impressive technique of syncopated and setbacks at high speed. In some regions whoever uses them also tends to sing.
the culture has its origins in the orinoco
Leather maracas
Leather maracas, later popularized by various maraqueros in salsa music and Cuban music, were created by Venezuelan percussionist "Pan con Queso" Landaeta.
Columbia
Maracas are used in various musical rhythms such as cumbia, vidita, joropo and cachamba, among others.
Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, different types of maracas are used, mainly in rhythms such as Bachata, Mangulina, Salve, slow and soft Merengue from the beginning of the century XIX.
Huilense mutt
The chucho is an idiophone musical instrument, a variant of the maracas, typical of the region of the department of Huila, and the Colombian Andean region, it has a cylindrical shape, it is a cane tube or guadua At a distance of two centimeters from the mouths of the tube, about ten sticks or cane chips are crossed, parallel to the diameter and forming a grid near each mouth. In addition, about five sticks are crossed along the entire length of the tube. The purpose of the grids is to prevent the exit of the seeds or grains that are inside the tube, which is why it is very similar to maracas. In the departments of Tolima and Cundinamarca, this instrument is called Alfandoque.
Puerto Rico
A single maraca was used in bomba. With the Cuban influence at the beginning of the 20th century, with Cuban genres such as guaracha, bolero and son, the use of two maracas was extended. Maracas are made from the fruit of the tree, the fruits, and are a common children's toy throughout Puerto Rico. The fruit should be round and small. After removing the pulp from the fruit through two holes drilled in the dry shell, small pebbles are introduced into it. A handle is then attached to the shell of the dried fruit. An uneven number of pebbles are used in the pair that make up the maracas, to produce their distinctive sound.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
In DR Congo, there are the atalakus (an innovation of the Zaïko Langa Langa group in 1982), they animate the public when the main singers of a group finish singing. They use the maracas making the soukous or ndomombo rhythm.