A clapper stick (also clap-stick or split stick rattle) is a traditional

idiophone An idiophone is any musical instrument that creates sound primarily by the vibration of the instrument itself, without the use of air flow (as with aerophones), strings (chordophones), membranes (membranophones) or electricity ( electrophone ...

common among the

indigenous peoples of California Indigenous peoples of California, commonly known as Indigenous Californians or Native Californians, are a diverse group of nations and peoples that are indigenous to the geographic area within the current boundaries of California before and afte ...

. It is traditionally constructed by cutting the branch of an

elderberry ''Sambucus'' is a genus of between 20 and 30 species of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae. The various species are commonly referred to as elder, with the flowers as elderflower, and the fruit as elderberry. Description Elders are most ...

tree, hollowing it out, and partially splitting the branch in two. It is used to keep time and accompany singers and dancers. Many are now made of

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

, which do not require hollowing.

Names in indigenous California languages

* Central Sierra Miwok: ''țakáț'a'' * Chukchansi: ''tá-wit'' * Chumash: ''wansak'' * Hupa: ''kinah¬dun-ts’e:y’'' *

Maidu The Maidu are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of northern California. They reside in the central Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada, in the watershed area of the Feather River, Feather and American River, American ...

: ''pak'papa'' * Mutsun: ''sallik'' *

Northern Paiute Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...

: ''hau tsavaiya'' * Northern Pomo: ''hay bit’abit’aka'' * Plains Miwok: ''taka'tta'' * Serrano: ''pă-how-it'' *

Tongva The Tongva ( ) are an Indigenous peoples of California, Indigenous people of California from the Los Angeles Basin and the Channel Islands of California, Southern Channel Islands, an area covering approximately . In the precolonial era, the peop ...

: ''araawkewe'' * Tubatulabal: ''ka*ba.ba.ynis't'' * Western Mono: ''anawataki'inu'' * Wintu: ''lasasus'' * Yuki: ''al-lah-chi'-mah''

References

Stick concussion idiophones Native American music Music of California American Indian musical instruments {{Idiophone-instrument-stub

Names in indigenous California languages

See also

References