TRÉCULAS

ONCE UPON A TIME...

Tréculas (traditionally made of hard wood) are a kind of percussion instrument played on festive occasions and at religious processions. They give a special added brightness to the music, especially when played with other instruments, such as the Bombo (bass drum) or Chincalhos. Tréculas may be called by other names, depending on the region where they’re made. In Barcelos, for example, they’re known as “tabuínhas”.

MATERIAL NEEDED

Any type of cardboard, provided that you can cut it with a pair of scissors, and a few meters of strings.

TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

A pair of scissors, some contact adhesive and a paper punch.

HOW TO MAKE THE INSTRUMENT

Cut out several cardboard rectangles (roughly 25 x 3 cm - although there’s no need for exact measurements), so that you can stick them together. Join them together in groups of 2 or 3, depending on the thickness of the cardboard. Punch two holes at one end to pass the string through and tie two bows that you can insert your thumbs in. To make sure that the cards are kept apart from each other, you need to place a separator between them. This can be a strip from the cardboard rectangles that you’ve just cut out. Finally, all you have to do is thread the string through the holes in each card and don’t forget to insert the separators between them.

DECORATION

As always, your own imagination will be enough to give your instrument a colourful decoration. If you can, you should use already coloured cardboard and swap ideas with your friends.

HOW TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT

With your thumbs stuck in the bows, open and dose the palms of your hand so that the ends of the cards beat together to the rhythm of the music.