9781422274385

gourds. The seeds inside make a sound when shaken. Although these were first used in religious contexts, they are now a common instrument in Caribbean music from throughout the region. In a Latin music band, the maracas are often played by the singer. Güiros , also known as gourd scrapers, are another percussion instrument. They’re made up of a hollow object like a gourd, which is scraped using a comb or stick. Notches cut along one side are used to make a sort of rhythmic rasping sound. This instrument is prominent in Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Arawak natives witness Christopher Columbus’s arrival on the island of San Salvador, October 12, 1492. Columbus’s discoveries would inspire a wave of European colonization and conquest in North and South America as well as the Caribbean islands.

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Chapter 1: The Roots of Latin and Caribbean Music