Shake, Click, Tak – The Poetry of Asalato

Don’t you reminisce the pure joy of play experienced as a child?

Where in that very moment of play, you feel as in you’ve been teleported to another world.

Many performers across the globe share this similar joy when they express themselves through art.

A S A L A T O

Made of two oncoba spinosa gourds filled with seeds connected by rope, the asalato is a simple percussion instrument with its origins from West Africa.

It produces sounds such as clacking, clicking and rattling when knocked together or shaken. The magic lies in its polyrhythm—multiple sounds at the same time.

H I S T O R Y

The asalato is believed to have started as a child’s toy, harvested gourds from the oncoba spinosa tree, commonly found along the coast of West Africa.

Just imagine the magical sounds of asalatos ringing across the savanna.
Over generations, the asalato has evolved from a child’s toy to a percussion instrument used worldwide.

L E A R N

Asalato tricks require dexterity and immense physical coordination. They also bring out the rhythm and groove of the player of the asalato.

In the hands of a sensitive musician, the asalato will harness the listener’s underlying urge to move with the music.

The magic of the asalato lies in its polyrhythm – multiple sounds at the same time and beat. What is this sensation like? You will find out when the asalato is in the palm of your hand.