An ankle shaker made as a beaded strip about 13 cm long and 7 cm wide. Along the top run glossy oval brown wooden beads, below them small green, yellow and red beads, and 20 kenari nut shells hang from the lower edge. There is a cord at each end, which you tie around your ankle. Handmade in Indonesia.
Rhythm with every step
As you step, the shells knock together with a soft, dry rattle. In dance your foot movements become audible, and when drumming you can stamp out a second rhythm alongside the drum. The sound is lively but not loud, and won't drown out a conversation. Wear it to a festival, a summer dance evening or a drum circle.
How to tie it on
Wrap the strip around your ankle with the shells hanging down, then tie the two cords in a bow. The cords let you fasten it tighter or looser, and you can wear it over a sock. It is light, about 90 g, so it won't weigh your foot down while you dance.
If you want one on each ankle, order two, as this listing is for a single ankle shaker.
The kenari shells
What you hear is the hard shell of the kenari, a nut that grows in Indonesia, where the nuts are also eaten. Every shell is a natural fruit, so their shapes and colours differ slightly. When you are not wearing it, hang it up by its cord so it doesn't tangle and nothing presses on the shells. Keep it somewhere dry, as damp is not good for the shells or the wood. Don't give it to children under three, as it has small beads.