Contextual Associations

The caxixi is a rattle idiophone used as a secondary sound source in the performance of the Brazilian berimbau bow. It is also used as an auxiliary percussion instrument by some Brazilian popular music artists, and as a freestanding rattle in hand drum and world music percussion groups.

Description

The shell of this closed rattle is made from lengths of wicker woven into a bell shape the opening of which is covered with a flat fragment of gourd. Several seeds are inserted into the bell form before it is enclosed. A U-shaped handle is provided at the apex of the bell shape for ease of handling.

Player - Instrument Interface and Sound Production

A berimbau player holds the caxixi in the same hand as the stick (baqueta) used to strike the berimbau, the striking action serving also as a shaking motion to sound the caxixi. When played as a freestanding rattle, the caxixi is held by its handle and shaking in a predominantly up-and-down direction to thrust the seeds against the shell.

Origins/History/Evolution

Basket rattles such as the caxixi were likely used by some indigenous Brazilian Indian groups prior to being incorporated into the Afro-Brazilian capoeira tradition as a secondary sound source for the berimbau.  

Bibliographic Citations

n.a. 1984. "Caxixi." NGDMI v.1: 319.