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Is fashioned from the dried husk of a cactus that has had its spines removed then reinserted through the hollowed out core. The rain stick is a phenomenal instrument that combines well with other indigenous musical instruments. The sound of the Rainstick is that of falling rain, generated by the impact of seeds trapped inside the hollow core impacting on the spines that have been inserted through the hollow core.

Different ways to play:

Combinations of the rain stick with a Didgeridoo and a Djembe can produce exceptional music, and when other elements of African percussion and melody are included with the use of Kalimba or Shekere the music ascends to incredible levels. Often used within a ceremonial or ritual situation, the sound produced by an experienced player is remarkably soothing and hypnotic. The combination of a Rainstick with story telling can be used to great effect, incorporating elements of sound that are traditionally absent from many oral performances. Many cultures use the instrument in attempts to bring rainfall on into their ritual magic’s.

Origin:

The chattering dripping rain sound of the rain stick has its origins within the roots of Mesoamerican indigenous culture, being used to represent the rains during ritual performance. In Chile and Peru, it was thought that playing the Rainstick would bring rain to the region.

Build your own:

Rainsticks do not have to be made of a dried cactus. They can be readily fabricated at home with a hollow stick of bamboo and some skewers. The ends of the tube should have caps placed on them after the skewers have been inserted through the cross section. Bamboo is quite strong, it’s important to drill holes to make inserting the skewers possible. Don’t use a nail to break holes in, as the bamboo will split and you will have to start again. A simple Rainstick for a child to make is made from an empty paper towel tube, a brown paper bag cut up to cover the ends, inserted inside the tube is two scrunched up aluminum foil poles and pinto beans.

Similar instruments:

There are other instruments that use the same principles of naturally abundant materials from the local ecosystem. Perhaps the most similar is the maracas, whereby a dried gourd is filled with pebbles or seeds and shaken rhythmically to produce a variety of interesting percussive routines. Also of note is the Shekere, which utilizes Seashells woven onto a net attached to a large hollow gourd. The Shekere is also shaken to produce its sound.

How to play:

Playing the Rain Stick can be as easy as flipping it upside down and letting the pebbles or seeds rain through the tube. This is the simplest way to play. If you want to increase the diversity of your repertoire, try shaking it while the seeds trickle through. Back and forth motion will help dislodge blockages, and also produce a nice ‘chikka-chikka’ noise that complements the ‘ksshhksshh’ noise of the falling seeds. If it is a stout stick, you can also thump it on the ground, especially if the floor is wooden. This gives a wide range of sounds to experiment with.

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