English: This rattle is made of leaves, seeds and coconut shell. It is tied around a dancer’s ankle and makes a sound when the dancer moves.

Object description: This dance rattle is from East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea. It is about 20 centimetres long and 18 centimetres wide. It was collected in 1982. It is made from 30 seed pods, tied together with a special string made from plant fibre. The cords on this rattle are held together with a piece of coconut shell. History:

A rattle is a type of musical instrument known as an idiophone. This means it makes its sound by being shaken and jiggled. Sometimes, rattles like these form part of traditional dress, and are tied to the ankles of people who are dancing in traditional ‘singsings’. (A singsing is a special gathering where people perform traditional dances and songs.)