One set of black kashaka (Asalato) with a black cord. Standard 50mm diameter with a weight of about 48g, making them a good choice for beginners. These kashaka (also known as banakula, aslatua, Asalato or Cas Cas) are robustly made Rhythmic Percussion Instruments. The strong and hard plastic shells are filled with iron sand to give a nice loud shaker sound and the shells have a great percussive sound when they hit. The two shells are linked with a strong thick adjustable length cord, making these adaptable to your hand size and very comfortable to play. Cord length suits adults and older children. Please note the shells are too large for young children's hands. Minimum recommended age: 12 years.
Price is for one set (ie. two shells and one cord). You need to buy two sets for dual-handed play. Get a discount when you buy 2 or more sets!
Our kashaka are sold individually. Most customers buy a pair of these for two-handed play, so if buying more than one you can mix and match your favourite colours. Note you will automatically get a discount when you purchase more than one kashaka set.
A kashaka is a unique hand percussion instrument that can produce interesting polyrhythms and is fascinating to play. You can play with one set or with two (one set per hand). This simple instrument (also known as aslato, kashaka, cascas, televi, kasso-kassoni, and more) is played by holding one gourd in the palm while simultaneously shaking and swinging the second gourd. You'll have hours of fun playing with this traditional African instrument. They make a great gift for any percussion enthusiast.
Why buy a plastic Kashaka?
African kashaka made from natural gourds tend to be expensive to buy and hard to find in the UK. Our plastic kashaka offer an affordable alternative. Being a natural product, real gourd kashaka will differ in shape, size and robustness, whereas these plastic kashaka are consistently hard-wearing with a uniform size, sound and weight. Real gourd kashaka usually have a fixed cord length, with the cord glued into the gourds. The cord length on our ABS plastic kashaka can easily be adjusted. Real gourd kashaka are more fragile than skilltoyz plastic kashaka. So plastic kashaka are a great way to try this fascinating instrument.
Specifications:
Material: tough ABS coloured plastic shells, diameter approximately 50mm.
Filling: Iron sand.
Cord: maximum length about 15cm between the shells. Adjustable length to suit all hand sizes. The rope is soft, strong and thick (approx 5mm dia). Cord colour may vary.
Dimensions: shell size 5cm diameter.
Weight: approx. 48g per set.
Country of Origin: China
Not recommended for young children due to strangulation risk and small parts inside the shells.
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How to resize the aslatua string to fit your hand
1. Undo one knot and re-tie the knot so the cord is a suitable length. Do not remove the cord from the hole through the shell or the filling will come out!
2. There are no firm rules about how long the cord on your kashaka should be, make it whatever length best suits you.
3. Make sure the knot remains secure - check it from time to time.
About Kashaka
A Kashaka is a traditional poly rhythmic percussion instrument originating in Africa. It is also known as Patica (Japan), Kosika (USA), Asalato, Aslatua, Kes Kes, Cas Cas, Tchangot Tche. Kashaka are traditionally made from two hollow percussive gourds filled with seeds, shells etc to give a rattle or shaking sound similar to a maraca. Kashaka make a shaking and clacking sound when played. Kashaka are played by slinging them from between the fingers and can be played individually or (with one in each hand) as a pair. This is hard to explain and best shown by watching a video like the two handed kashaka demonstration below. © Copyright Skilltoyz.com 2022
