Güiro
A percussion instrument made from the dried hollowed fruit of the higüera gourd, with grooves scraped by a metal pick. It is Taíno in origin and still alive in jíbaro music, plena and salsa. Hand decorated ones are sold everywhere and it is the cheapest, lightest musical souvenir on the island.
Example
That scraped rhythm behind the cuatro in any aguinaldo is the güiro.
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Related terms
Culture
Cuatro puertorriqueño
The national string instrument, with ten strings in five double courses and a body shaped like a violin. It is the...
Crafts
Artesanía de higüera
Objects made from the dried fruit of the higüera tree, hollowed out and then carved or painted. It yields güiros,...
History
Taíno
The Indigenous people who inhabited Puerto Rico, which they called Borikén, when the Spanish arrived in 1493. Their...
Culture
Aguinaldo (canción navideña)
A Puerto Rican Christmas song, played on cuatro, güiro and frame drums, sung house to house during parrandas. It is...
Frequently asked questions
Is it Indigenous in origin?
Yes, it is attributed to Taíno culture and is still made from the same gourd, the higüera.
Does it work as a souvenir?
One of the best: light, cheap and a real instrument. Check that the metal pick comes with it.
