The shekere is a West African percussion instrument consisting of a dried gourd with beads or cowries woven into a net covering the gourd. The instrument is common in West African and Latin American folkloric traditions as well as some of the popular music styles. In performance it is shaken and/or hit against the hands. The shekere is made from vine gourds that grow on the ground. The shape of the gourd determines the sound of the instrument. A shekere is made by drying the gourd for several months then removing the pulp and seeds. After I scrub it I add colorful beads and colour it. It was very enjoyable to make an instrument from gourd. I used about 1000 wooden beads. It has a quite high sound. It is 14 inches high and 10 inches wide. Adorned with yellow, blue, orange and green beads. The handle I made from leather prevents it from slipping out of your hand while playing. It can be easily removed if you don't want to use it. Please feel free to ask for different colors and sizes.