White Woman Drums - Shekere Sekere Hand Drum

Welcome to White Woman Drums - Shekere - Sekere (SHEY-kah-REH) hand drums!

The shekere or sekere is a percussion hand drum from Africa, consisting of a dried gourd with beads woven into a net covering the gourd. Throughout the continent it is called different things, such as the lilolo, axatse (Ghana), and chequere. It is predominantly called shekere in Nigeria.

The african shekere is made from small gourds that grow on the ground. The shape of the gourd determines the sound of the instrument. A african shekere is made by drying the gourd for several months then removing the pulp and seeds. After it is scrubbed, skillful bead work is added as well as color.

This gourd instrument is used for folkloric as well as some of the popular music. In performance it is shaken and/or hit against the hands.

I have fallen for gourds and the music I can make with them... Please enjoy my version of the Shekere hand drum and/or shaker. Although I have a lot to learn about style, stringing/netting methods and bead types... I am quite pleased with these and hope you will be too.

Black, White and Turquoise Shekere - finished Instrument - 13" tall x 7" across x 25" around SOLD to M. Cruz - NJ 11/08

This piece is a rich dark chestnut brown pre-stained gourd, with over 700 - 4mm x 7mm white, tan and black plastic beads, 7mm Oval silver metal accent beads and 6mm Turquoise rounds.

The netting is made of #70 black artificial sinew and as a beginner myself I added a long wrist lanyard to help out other beginners from dropping the Shekere while playing and is a great confidence builder. Once you become comfortable with the instrument it is very easy to remove it for more experienced moves like twirls and throws...

Green Gourd Shekere with wood beads- finished Instrument - 12" tall x 7" across x 25" around

This Gourd Shekere is a rich dark sage green pre-stained gourd, with over 500 - assorted white, tan and dark brown/black wood beads, 7mm Oval silver metal accent beads. The wood beads offer a softer tone to the crispness of the plastic beads above.

The netting is made of #70 black artificial sinew and as a beginner myself I added a long wrist lanyard to help out other beginners from dropping the shekere while playing and is a great confidence builder. Once you become comfortable with the instrument it is very easy to remove it for more experienced moves like twirls and throws... At my Ebay store shadeinthewoods

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Day of the Dead - Shekere - finished Instrument - 12" tall x 7" across x 26" around

SOLD to Woody the Headhunter NY 10/07

to enhance his exotic -Headhunter Percussion showcase

I was inspired by both the African shaker styling and the Latin Festival "Dia De Los Muertos" it music and classic rhythms prefect for a shekere.

This piece is a rich sage green pre-stained gourd, with over 700 - 3/8 inch white plastic skull beads, 4mm white and black pony beads. The netting is made of #70 black artificial sinew.

There are three hand painted Day of the dead "Dia De Los Muertos" skulls and this is truly a "ONE OF A KIND" shaker... Available on my Ebay store shadeinthewoods