Crafting Rawhide Rattles

Rattles are a universal, cross-cultural tool for inducing trance states and establishing connections with the spirit realm. Shamans believe that the sound of the rattle opens doors to the spirit world and attracts the attention of its inhabitants. The repetitive sound of the rattle, like that of the drum, helps induce shamanic trance. The shaking of rattles creates high-pitched frequencies that complement the low frequencies of drumbeats. The high tones of rattles resonate in the upper parts of the body and head. The low tones of drums act primarily on the abdomen, chest, and organs of balance. Rattles stimulate higher frequency nerve pathways in the cerebral cortex than do drums. This higher frequency input supplements the low frequency drumbeats, thereby boosting the total sonic effect. To craft your own rawhide rattle; view video.