Maracas, sometimes called rumba shakers, are a native instrument of Latin America. They are a percussion instrument, usually played in pairs, consisting of a dried calabash or gourd shell (cuia "cue-ya") or coconut shell filled with seeds or dried beans. They may also be made of leather, wood, or plastic. Often one ball is pitched high and the other is pitched low. There is evidence of clay maracas used by the natives of Colombia 1500 years ago. The word maraca is thought to have come from the Tupi language of Brazil, where it is pronounced 'ma-ra-KAH'. They are known in Trinidad as shac-shacs. Sold Individually.