Rattles

Rattles are used world-wide but known by any number of different names.  In the Urdu language, the rattle is called a  ‘Chankana’.  In Zimbabwe, it is known as a hosho and consists of a pair of gourds with seeds inside. Hosho, from a western perspective are usually seen as an accompanying instruments to Mbira, but they are actually seen as the lead instruments by the mbira players.  They make a rattling sound but extra vibrating elements also add a buzzing sound.

I also found observations that showed that all sorts of ‘instruments’ or perhaps more correctly ‘implements’ were use as rattles.  According to Mircea Eliade:

‘The winnow is an ancient element in the culture of the Munda peoples’. 

And just as the Siberian shaman brings on his trance by beating his drum, the magicians of North and Middle India try to achieve the same result by shaking rice in the winnow. 

Two rhythmic instruments are used in shamanic performance in the Upper Amazon — the shacapa, the leaf-bundle rattle; and the maraca, the seed-filled gourd rattle. In North America rattles have been used for some time by healers, instead of the drum, the objective being to get the patient into a trance state.

And not all English nursery rhymes are what they seem.

Observations

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• Brian Keenan – Four Quarters of Light - Debra heals the hurt of Brian 4
• David Lewis-Williams - Native American Indians - Rebirth and violence
• Dobkin de Rios, Dr Marlene - Ayahuasca experience 1
• Dobkin de Rios, Dr Marlene - Ayahuasca experience 2
• Dr Joan Halifax - The Warao of Venezuela
• Engel, C - On the role of magicians
• G Catlin - Native American Indians - Rattling to heal
• Janzen, John M - Theories of music in African ngoma healing – Part 3
• Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin - Music therapy from Tibb al-Nufus (Hygiene of Souls)
• Kanucas Littlefish - Native American Indians – Music heals
• Keith Howard - The Tuvan shaman Alexander Tavakay heals a child
• Lame Deer - Native American Indians - On rattles
• Reichel-Dolmatoff - The Desana of the Amazon basin
• Reichel-Dolmatoff – Amazonian Cosmos - Humming and buzzing
• Reichel-Dolmatoff – Amazonian Cosmos - Rattles
• Reichel-Dolmatoff – Amazonian Cosmos - The Yaje ceremony
• RobCast No.1 (My plant medicine journey with Ayahuasca and San Pedro)
• Schultes and Hofman - South American shamanic use
• The Swish of the Schacapa Ayahuasca by Dillon
• Through the Looking Glass - Ch 04 - 1 Tweedledum and Tweedledee
• Through the Looking Glass - Ch 04 - 3 The Fight
• Tree, Isabella - Sliced Iguana – 01 Isabella tries peyote