Where Do Guiros Come From

The Taíno people of the Caribbean have been credited with the origins of the güiro. The Taínos of Puerto Rico developed the güajey, a long gourd or animal bone with notches, an antecedent of the modern day güiro.

When was the güiro created?

This instrument is believed to have originated with the Taino people, and was discovered as early as 1788. The Güiro is usually played to Spanish folk music, but it can also be used to play Salsa.

How do you make a gourd güiro?

Cut the end off of the gourd and clean out the insides. The dried seeds and much of the pulp will come out easily. Fill the gourd with water and let it soak for a few hours, the remaining pulp will scrape out easily. A grapefruit spoon is a good tool for scraping.