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An ashiko is a kind of African drum shaped like a truncated cone and meant to be played with bare hands. The drum is played throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas. The Ashiko has three primary tones, just like the Djembe. Some Africans consider the ashiko to be male and the djembe female while others believe the opposite is true. In Eastern Cuba, the ashiko is known as a boku. The boku drum is played throughout eastern Cuba during carnivals and street parades called Comparsas.
The traditional wood from Africa which is used to make ashiko drums tends to crack due to variations in humidity. Our Ashiko drums are made of rosewood in Pakistan or mango wood in India, providing a drum which is resistant to cracking due to humidity changes.
Drums with fur on the playing surface produce a more muted or muffled sound. Ashikos with a shaved head are more open sounding and tend to be louder. Most versions of this drum have fur left around the rim, regardless of whether the playing surface is shaved. This does not affect the sound.
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