The Instrument Guiro is a Puerto Rican percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a wooden stick (called a Pua) along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The Instrument Guiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role in the rhythm section. In Brazil it is commonly known as Reco-Reco.
Product details: Bamboo Guiro
To play it, just scrape the stick down the jagged side of the bamboo tube to make a most satisfying sound. You can also use the stick to hit the tube, or a combination of scrape and hit.