A maraca is a type of rattle used in many types of Caribbean and Latin music. It is also known as a shaker or chac-chac. The maraca is shaken using a handle and is often played in pairs. In Spanish, someone who plays the maraca is called a maraquero. The word "maraca" is pronounced as /mə-RAK-ə/ in the United States and /mə-RAH-kə/ in Brazil. In Brazilian Portuguese, it is pronounced as [maˈɾakɐ].

Etymology

The word "maraca" is thought to come from the Guarani language, where it was called "mbaraka." Some sources suggest that the word may have changed over time from an Arabic word, "mitraqah," which had two meanings: bell and hammer. However, other experts disagree, as "mitraqah" may actually come from the Spanish word "matraca."

The instrument is known by many names in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Brazil, it is called "maracá." In parts of the Eastern Caribbean, it is referred to as "chac-chac" or "shak-shak," and in Puerto Rico, it is called "higuera," named after the calabash tree. In Brazil, there are many regional names for the instrument, such as "adjá," "canzá," "ganzá," and "xeque."

History

The maraca is believed to have originated before European arrival and was used by indigenous people in parts of South America and the Caribbean for ceremonies and communication. Records from cultural studies suggest that groups like the Arawak and Taíno peoples may have created it. In the 18th century, a Jesuit missionary named José Gumilla observed marakas being used by Arawak-speaking people in the Orinoco basin. Maracas were used as rattles for spiritual practices, such as divination, by the Tupinamba people of Brazil. Similar instruments were also used by other indigenous groups, including the Guarani and people in the Orinoco region of Florida, United States.

Rattles made from Lagenaria gourds are shaken using natural grip, while round Crescentia calabash fruits are attached to handles. Modern maracas are often made of leather, wood, or plastic, with a wooden stick inserted through a hole in the shell to serve as a handle. Sometimes, human hair is attached to the top, and a slit is cut to represent a mouth. Shamans, called payes, would use this slit to make the instrument appear to speak. Small stones are placed inside to create sound, and the instrument is decorated with red feathers from guarás, which are scarlet ibises. It was used during dances and to help heal the sick.

The design of maracas varies by region. For example, in Puerto Rico, maracas are made from higuera fruit, while in other areas, they are crafted from tin, wood, leather, or synthetic materials. The materials and contents inside the maraca affect the sound and loudness of the instrument. In the Andes, healers called curanderos use maracas during their spiritual healing rituals.

Performance

The maraca makes sound when it is shaken, causing the inside parts to hit the container. It is mainly used to create rhythm, helping to emphasize the beat in many types of music. In Latin American popular music, the maraca is often found in styles like son cubano, guaracha, danzón, salsa, and bomba. Some styles use one maraca, while others use two played at the same time. When tested with a microphone, oscilloscope, and "SCOPE" software, the maraca was found to produce sounds within a range of 3000 Hz to 10,000 Hz.

In some spiritual traditions of indigenous and Afro-Brazilian cultures, the maraca has a sacred purpose. Among the Tabajara people of Brazil, the maraca is a "sacred object" used during the Toré ritual. It is believed to connect humans with spiritual beings called Encantados. Feathers and painted symbols on the maraca are thought to increase its spiritual power.

In pajelança, a healing practice in northern Brazil, the maraca is used to call spiritual beings during rituals. It keeps the rhythm of sacred songs called doutrinas, and its sound is believed to help healing. Healers, called pajés, often use traditional gourd maracas or different metal versions called xeque in rituals that combine different traditions.

Gallery

• Robert Plant using two pairs of maracas
• A Guarani shaman holding a cross and a maraca
• A maraca used by the knights of Toritos de Chichicastenango during the feast of Saint Thomas, around December 21. Each maraca is unique and created specifically for that year.