The adufe is a large square instrument made of pulled leather and ribbons along the sides. On the inside, there is some rice so that when you shake it, the adufe sounds like a soft tambourine. You can also hit the sides of the instrument to make a sound more like a drum.
Traditionally, only women are allowed to touch and play the adufe. We had the chance to listen to a group of women sing a few songs as they used their adufes to keep a rhythm. After they finished the performance, the other women and I had the chance to try to play the adufes, too.
The instrument was introduced to the Iberic Peninsula (where Portugal and Spain now are) during the eighth and nine centuries. According to historians, there are images of women playing a similar instrument in Mesopotamia, Greece, Egypt and Rome. In the past, the instrument was used in religious ceremonies and also for music at various festivals.
Idanha-a-Nova, the village we visited, is one of the few towns where the tradition of playing and making the adufe has been preserved. In times past, people would make their own adufes at home and the use of this instrument was very common.
