With Handle from Indonesia (SKU 5756)
This upcycled shaker is handmade in Indonesia using Pangium seed husks strung on natural cord and attached to a carved bamboo handle. The seeds produce a dry, full sound when shaken, ideal for musical performance or ceremony. The bamboo is finished with a burnt etching design, offering a comfortable and earthy grip. A corded loop at the end of the handle allows it to be hung when not in use. Pangium seeds are used in Indonesian cooking, and their husks are traditionally discarded. Here they are transformed into instruments with a rich, grounding tone. More information can be found below.
Dimensions: 27 x 11 cm. Cord length: 3 cm. Handle length: 21cm.
Indonesian Seed Shakers – Upcycled Natural Rhythm Instruments
These bold, earthy seed shakers are handmade in Indonesia from large Pangium seed husks, a by-product of local cuisine. Once the seeds are removed for use in cooking or pressed for oil, the leftover husks are cleaned, dried and repurposed into natural percussion instruments. Strung on thick natural twine and attached either to a bamboo handle or formed into a wrist loop, they produce a dry, full, crunchy tone that carries well in both open and indoor spaces.
There are two styles available. The handle version features a smooth bamboo grip, finished with decorative burnt etching. It offers excellent control and is suited for musicians, facilitators or sound practitioners who want to direct and contain the sound. The corded version has a loop designed to fit around the wrist or ankle and is often worn in traditional Indonesian dance or community drumming. It can also be handheld for a more casual or layered playing style.
Pangium seeds, known as Kluwat or Kluwak in Indonesia, are a key ingredient in traditional dishes such as rawon, a black beef soup. The seeds come from the Pangium edule tree, native to Southeast Asia. Though naturally toxic due to their cyanide content, they are made safe for consumption through a traditional process of boiling, burying and fermentation. Once the seeds are extracted, the hard outer husks are often discarded. In this case, they are given new life as musical instruments.
In Indonesian ritual and cultural practices, seed rattles like these are used to connect with the natural world, mark sacred transitions and call in rhythm during movement and ceremony. The sound is grounding and elemental, with each shaker offering a unique tone and tactile quality.
These instruments are made using low-waste, sustainable methods. Slight variations in shape, sound and finish are natural and part of their handmade character.
Dimensions: Handle version: 27 x 11 cm. Corded version: 22 x 11 cm Cord length: 12 cm.
Other names: Percussion instrument, rattle, Maraca
