Ashiko

The Ashiko has a spectacular and beautiful voice. It is an ethnic drum that is played in the sub-Saharan Africa and also in America such as Cuba. The docked shaped musical instrument originated from the West Africa specifically among the Yoruba and the Benin people in Nigeria.

The Ashiko drum has a long and rich tradition in Yoruba culture; it has been around since 9000 BC. It functions as a talking drum and also played during community celebrations as well as a “talking drum.” However, the Ashiko (Boku) is used during street parades and carnivals.

The Ashiko drum narrow bottom is open, and the head is broad. The Ashiko is made of wood, and the top is made of goatskin. A typical Ashiko is hand carved, and it is not a straight cone. The drum is flexible in its designs, it is not restricted to one distinct size; the ashiko is made in different sizes.

Today, this musical instrument is found in Afro-Latin American and Afro-Caribbean traditions and cultures; this is as a result of the Atlantic slave trade.

The drum is played with bare hands and is tuned with ropes. Due to the shape of the Ashiko, the drum can produce a broad range of tones. It plays more bass than the djembe