Tips to set up a "batucada"

1st step – Gather a group of women interested on the idea.

2nd step – Look for materials like plastic barrels, cans of kerosene
oil or any oil (round or square), cans of powdered milk, cans of
aluminum, broomsticks (to make the drum sticks) wire or elastic,
electrical tape, nail, drill, spray or other paint, strings, fabric
scraps and scissors and anything else that you think can be used to
make instruments.

Batucada in Brazil

Some instruments we use:
Bass drum:
It provides the downbeat, the bass downbeat of the rhythm.
(large plastic barrels)
Cut open one side of the drum, and wash it well inside.
Drill to holes on the closed side of the drum as showed on the illustration à
Tie a wire around the hole and then pass around the wire the cord or
lace (around 1,5m), that will serve as a support for the instrument.
This instrument is hold around the shoulder and back.


Tin drum:
(round or square medium sized cans)
Cut holes in both sides of the can (illustration 1)
Pass thought the holes a cord or lace that will serve as a support for the instrument. ( this instrument holds around the waist)

Rattle:
Cut in half any type of small container (like cans of soda, or plastic cans)
Fill it (not completely) with stones.
Close it with tape.

Drumsticks:
You can use pieces of broomsticks as drumsticks.
To get a more low sound from the bass drum, you can tie around the end
of the broomsticks pieces of fabric.

Batucada workshop in Quebec

3rd step: think of slogans or chants to sing during the action
some examples:

Trabajo ya tenemos… ahora queremos empleos
Brisons le joug de la pauvreté et non à la violence faite aux femmes
Jil, Suma, Neema
It's time for change / Pour que ça change
2000 rasones y mas para marchar
For the sake of equity and equality
bonyésa-balo-kebhal
Safe water, food and empowerment
Poverty, NO! Violence, NO! Neoliberalism, NO! Patriarchy, NO!

4th step: use your creativity to make up songs in the instruments.

Here is a video from the girls in Brazil teaching some songs: