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| Percussion instrument | |
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| Classification | Percussion |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 112.1 (Shaken idiophones or rattles) |
| Related instruments | |
| Shekere | |
| Musicians | |
| Machito,Monguito | |
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| LP Percussion | |
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Amaraca (/məˈrækə/mə-RAK-ə,US also/məˈrɑːkə/mə-RAH-kə,Brazilian Portuguese:[maˈɾakɐ]ⓘ), sometimes calledshaker orchac-chac, is arattle which appears in many genres ofCaribbean andLatin music. It is shaken by a handle and usually played as part of a pair. A maraca player in theSpanish language is called amaraquero.[1]
The termmaraca is believed to originate from theGuarani wordmbaraca.[2][3] Other authors, for their part, believe that it is a corruption of theArabic-origin wordmitraqah, used in African countries with a dual meaning of bell and hammer. However, some authors have questioned the Arabic origin, sincemitraqah apparently derives from the Spanish wordmatraca.[4]
The instrument is known by various names across Latin America and the Caribbean, includingmaracá (Brazil),[4]chac-chac[5] orshak-shak (Eastern Caribbean),[6] andhiguera (Puerto Rico, referencing the calabash tree). In Brazil, numerous regional variants exist, such asadjá,canzá,ganzá, andxeque.[4]
The maraca is ofpre-Columbian origin and is believed to have been used by the indigenous people of parts of South America and the Caribbean[4] for ceremonial and communicative purposes.[7] Ethnographic accounts attribute its invention to groups such as theArawak andTaíno peoples.[8] In the 18th century, Jesuit missionary José Gumilla noted the use ofmarakas among the Arawak-speaking people in theOrinoco basin.[4] Maracas were rattles of divination, an oracle of the BrazilianTupinamba people, found also with other Indigenous ethnic groups, such as the Guarani, Orinoco inFlorida, United States.[9]
Rattles made fromLagenaria gourds are being shaken by the natural grip, while the roundCrescentia calabash fruits are fitted to a handle.[9] Modern maraca balls are made of leather, wood or plastic[10] with a wooden stick inserted through a hole in the shell to serve as a handle.[8] Human hair is sometimes fastened on the top, and a slit is cut in it to represent a mouth, through which theirshamans (payes) made it utter its responses. A few pebbles are inserted to make it rattle and it is crowned with the red feathers ofguarás (scarlet ibises). It was used at their dances and to heal the sick.[11] The design may vary by region; for example, in Puerto Rico, maracas are fashioned from thehiguera fruit,[4] while in other areas they are made of tin, wood, leather, or synthetic materials.[8] The contents and materials affect the instrument’s timbre and volume. Andeancuranderos (healers) use maracas in their healing rites.[12]
The maraca produces sound through the shaking motion, which causes the internal elements to strike against the container's interior.[8] It plays a primarily rhythmic role, accentuating the beat in various musical styles.[4] InLatin American popular music, the maraca is particularly associated with genres such assoncubano,guaracha,danzón,salsa, andbomba.[8] In some styles, one maraca may be used (as inbomba), while others require a pair played simultaneously.[8] The maraca exhibited afrequency response between 3000Hz and 10,000 Hz, as measured using a microphone connected to anoscilloscope and analyzed through "SCOPE" software.[13]
In many indigenous and Afro-Brazilian spiritual traditions, the maraca may also serve as a sacred function. Among theTabajara people of Brazil, the maraca is considered a "sacred object" used during theToré ritual. It represents a conduit between the human and spiritual realms, facilitating communication with ancestral spirits known asEncantados. Decorative elements such as feathers and symbolic paintings enhance its spiritual potency.[7]
Inpajelança (an Afro-Indigenous healing practice in northern Brazil), the maraca is used to summon spiritual entities during therapeutic and trance rituals.[13] The instrument marks the rhythm of sacred songs (doutrinas), and its sound is believed to activate healing forces. Pajés (healers) often differentiate between the traditional gourd maraca and metallic variants (xeque) used in syncretic rituals.[14]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
Media related toMaracas at Wikimedia Commons
