instrument gallery logo
Ahoco

The ahoco is a scraper played by women in Ivory Coast to accompany songs and dances. It is made from a rounded dried fruit shell, a flattened nutshell, and a single straight wooden stick that has a spiral groove traveling three quarters the length of the body. Sometimes a string will attach all the parts, but traditionally they were not attached. Many ahoco would be played together in an ensemble while dancing. Ahoco are a very effective percussion instrument, and are increasingly popular in the west.

Country: Ivory Coast
Region: Africa
Type: percussion

bro - Vietnamese tube zither
©  R. Raine-Reusch, May 2002