The Ichaka (also spelled ichake or ishaka; also known as ukwusa or osha in some dialects) is a gourd rattle of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It consists of a dried gourd covered with a net of beads on the outside. When shaken or tapped, the beads strike the gourd surface and produce a dry rattling sound. The instrument is classified as an idiophone.
The Ichaka originates among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. Similar beaded gourd rattles can also be found across African, Caribbean, Afro-American, and Latin American communities.
See also Igbo music Ogene Ekwe Udu Ọjà Shekere
References