Qraqeb or garagab ( ar, قراقب), in English often transliterated as krakeb, are a large iron

castanet Castanets, also known as ''clackers'' or ''palillos'', are a percussion instrument (idiophone), used in Spanish, Kalo, Moorish, Ottoman, Italian, Sephardic, Swiss, and Portuguese music. In ancient Greece and ancient Rome there was a similar ...

-like musical instrument primarily used as the rhythmic aspect of

Gnawa music Gnawa music (Ar. ) is a body of Moroccan religious songs and rhythms. Its well-preserved heritage combines ritual poetry with traditional music and dancing. The music is performed at ''lila'', communal nights of celebration dedicated to prayer ...

. Gnawa today is part of the North African culture and is inherent in the

Maghreb The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...

i soundscape. The word qraqeb is a plural form (with the singular being qarqab), with an unclear etyomology, as the word does not occur in Standard Arabic with this meaning.

Cultural significance

Gnawa music is a spiritual music representing the history of sub-Saharan West African people who were sold as slaves in present-day

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

and

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

Greater Maghreb The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...

. "...stories are told to those who are connected with their history by the very sound of the ''krakebs'' – they represent the sound of horses hooves hitting the ground as their people were carried away in grain sacks, and the rattling of shackles that used to hold their people captive.". They are also said to represent shackles which slaves removed when they became free men. Several specific rhythms played by Gnawa musicians on Qarqabat (often accompanied by hajhuj or sintir) symbolise this freedom.

Body

Krakeb are similar to large iron castanets in that they are handheld cymbal-type instruments which are handmade from iron or steel. They are Idiophones, meaning that their sound comes from the vibration of the instrument's body. The body is four cymbals (two on each side) attached by a string. Since they are played with one hand, the musician usually holds one in each to play simultaneously.

Playing

In the Gnawa style, krakeb stay closed between hits so that the instrument clanging shut is the most prominent sound. In Tunisia, they are hit and pulled back apart quickly so that the ringing of the instrument is the most prominent sound. Generally, there is one

sintir The sintir ( ar, سنتير), also known as the guembri (), gimbri or hejhouj or Garaya in Hausa language, is a three stringed skin-covered bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people. It is approximately the size of a guitar, with a body ca ...

(guimbri) and up to 20 krakeb players per Gnawa ensemble. Curtis Blues shows examples of these playings, as well as other cultural significances of this instrument in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO-9nzR79pc

References

{{Authority control Moroccan musical instruments Algerian musical instruments Tunisian musical instruments Arabic musical instruments Sahrawi musical instruments Berber musical instruments