A long rattle with 50 kenari nut shells hanging in a cluster from several cords. At the top is a woven loop, so you can hold it to shake or hang it up. It is about 29 cm long and 9 cm wide, and the shells are a natural light beige. Made in Indonesia, with the shells tied onto the cords by hand.
Fifty shells in one cluster
The shells hang at different heights, so when you shake it they knock one after another, turning into a longer, rolling rattle. A slow swing gives a soft, dense sound, and a strong shake a louder one. In a drum circle or when singing together, it adds a steady, quiet background beside the drum, and all you do is shake it by the loop. At the end of a yoga class or a group meditation, a short shake can signal that the silence is over.
It is easiest to shake held upright by the loop, with a short flick of the wrist.
Hung on the porch or a door
Hang it by its loop from a hook, a door handle or a beam on the porch, where a movement or the wind sets it going. If you hang it on a door, it will sound every time the door opens. Outdoors, keep it under cover, as rain is not good for the shells or the cords.
A natural decoration when it is quiet
The pale cluster of shells looks good on a white wall, or next to a woven basket or a bunch of dried flowers. Kenari is a nut that grows in Indonesia, and what you hear is its hard, dried shell. The shells are natural, so their shape and shade vary from piece to piece. Altogether it weighs only about 130 g.