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Rainsticks
Somewhere in Africa, before the birth of Christ, rainsticks were played to remind the spirits that rain was welcome. This rainstick serenades the gods of the Diaguitas, a native Chilean people. From windswept hillsides and Barrancas beneath the Andes, artisans with burros collect dead and dried cactus, which might otherwise be used for firewood (Absolutely no live cactus is cut.) The thorns are then pressed into the hollow shaft. Pebbles cascading over the thorns create the water sound of this ancient instrument, which is still heard in the music of the Andes. Play it. Pray for rain. Or pray for tranquility and peace.
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