Aslatua

Description

Each pod is a gourd from the Swawa tree.
When the gourds dry and fall off the tree, children collect them then give them to elders who hollow and fill them with orange pebbles from the iron-rich soil of the Sahel.

Aslatua (asalato) is played by holding and shaking one gourd in the palm, while swinging the second gourd around, creating both sandy shaking sounds and percussive clicks when the two connect.
Aslaturas are typically played in pairs (one in each hand) and can produce complex polyrhythms.

Basic Aslatua technique

What’s your aslatua size?

The string length can be found by taking the width of your palm at the base of the fingers and adding 1cm.
Pod size is a personal factor: Smaller pods are quieter and more shimmery in sound,  better suited to small hands. Bigger pods have a more percussive sound and are best suited to large hands. Medium pods have a nice balance between comfort and volume.
If you’re uncertain, feel free to provide your palm measurements and hand size in the comments section of the order, and we’ll do our best to choose the perfect aslatua for you.

Intro to aslatua