The guiro as a cross-generational community-builder.
The guiro is a traditional Puerto Rican instrument made out of a hollowed-out gourd with notches carved into the side of it. Using some sort of stick, brush, or other scraper, a sort of cha-cha-cha noise is easily made that sounds right in any song.
It’s important to me because it creates a connection between me, my family members, and my home island. As far back as I can remember, my family – both nuclear and extended – has been more musically talented than me, with several of them multi-instrumentalists formally trained in vocals, guitar, cello, guitar, drums, violin, piano, and more. I never really felt left out, however, at family gatherings when everyone would inevitably end up singing and playing music together. No matter who was there – old or young, trained or not, sober or not – there’s always been a guiro that I can rely on to join in. The sound, itself, makes me feel nostalgic; anytime I hear it, I think of those family gatherings and I think of the music I hear driving around Puerto Rico.
I think the fact that the guiro is something thoroughly enjoyed by all ages is the thing I enjoy about it the most. I think intergenerational common grounds and unity is something that my culture, my family, and I strive to cultivate. I get irritated when an older person assumes a younger person should live life just like they did and when a younger person assumes they should live life completely different than people more mature. Bringing people with age gaps together with a simple instrument reaffirms my belief that there are so many gray spaces between different people that, when accessed, can lead to understanding and well-being for more people.
