Materials:

An empty plastic milk or soda jug.

Some string

Different colored beads, shells, or other small trinkets, each with a hole large enough for the string.

Time! (this is great to do while you’re listening to music!)

Directions:

First make a braid out of three long strings. Tie your braid like a loose collar around the top of your jug.

Now cut twelve (or more) strings that are FIVE TIMES the length of the jug from very top to very bottom.

Fold over each string so it is double. Put the loop over the braid, and pull the ends through. Now tie a knot so the strings will stay in place. Do that to each string, in even intervals around the jug.

Now, take one bead and string it on the right string of a pair. Take another string and put it on the left string of the pair next to it. Tie those strings together, not too tight! Keep going, all the way around the jug till you’ve done a whole row! Try to keep the spaces even between the knots. Now start again and do another row. Keep going and going until you reach the bottom of the jug.

At the end, make another braid and tie all the strings to it, leaving the braid about as big a circle as the top one was. Now trim the ends of the strings. Keep it loose so the beads make sound when you shake it. If you hit the bottom of your jug with your palm, listen to the sound it makes!

Watch The Video

How To Play The Shekere

Chai Imin Shekere

Soul In Motion - Shekere