How are rattles made from gourds, turtle shells, cocoons, and manufactured materials?

In Native American music, container rattles are crafted by enclosing small, resonant objects—such as pebbles, seeds, dried corn kernels, fruit pits, clay pellets, or buckshot—within a hollow vessel. The construction methods vary based on the materials used:1

• Gourds: These are common natural containers. They may be used whole with a wooden handle or cut in half and inverted for use as struck instruments.1
• Turtle Shells: Often used for leg rattles, these are filled with small pebbles and attached in rows to leather strips, allowing dancers to provide rhythmic accompaniment.1
• Cocoons: Specifically used by peoples in northwestern Mexico, cocoons from the saturniid moth are dried, filled with seeds or broken seashells, sewn shut, and strung on cords to be worn in spirals around a dancer's legs.1
• Manufactured Materials: Native Americans also utilize modern items such as tin cans or hollow metal tubes as containers. For example, some southeastern groups create leg rattles using evaporated milk cans filled with pebbles, which are then attached to leather.1

These instruments are often decorated with feathers or carvings, reflecting their significant roles in ceremonial and ritual life.1