Rattles

Two weeks ago I received an email from Stan, he's writing an ensemble piece for a high school percussion group in Georgia. The piece calls for Native American rattles and he asked me if I knew any places to buy some. I thought it would be an interesting project for me so I volunteered to make them. 

My intention was to make gourd rattles from Coyote, aka Buffalo gourds which are native to the southwest including here in Southern Colorado, and since I was planning my trip to Picketwire Canyon, this would be an opportunity to look for some. Unfortunately my trip had to be canceled so I drove some back roads towards Pueblo to look for some plants. That was also a bust. A trip to a nursery and buying a gourd was the next bad idea, after sitting in the sun for 3 days it just shriveled up and caved in. But then I watched a Youtube video on making a rawhide rattle. The gourd idea went on hold while I started collecting the materials for my rawhide rattle.

Getting the rawhide was the first job. I didn't want to buy an entire cowhide (too expensive) and I didn't want to start with a real cow (I think they still hang rustlers in Colorado) so I went to a pet store and bought a large rawhide chew for dogs. I soaked the rawhide for 3 days and unrolled it. Cutting two 4" circles with tabs (to insert the handle). I clamped them together and punched holes for the lacing and used imitation sinew to sew the sides together.

Two sides cut out

Punching holes for lacing

    

Lacing the sides together

Leaving the tabs unsewn I used a funnel to fill it with sand, tamping it in to form the shape. It dried overnight.

 

After removing the sand I coated it (except for the tabs) with water based acrylic varnish. I soaked the tabs only this time to soften, filled the rattle with 1/4 cup of Anasazi Beans and popcorn, inserted the handle, finished stitching the tabs, wrapped the handle/rattle joint with the sinew and dried overnight.

I finished the rattle by covering the handle with brown suede, wrapping it with lacing to improve the grip. I then added beads, feathers, fur and faux horse hair.

Authentic rattles have symbols covering the head of the rattle but since the rattles are many times used in religious ceremonies I chose not to put anything on them so as not to misappropriate any sacred images.

I am waiting for the shipment of gourds to finish the project.