Güira

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A güira [ˈgwiɾa] is a percussion instrument from the Dominican Republic that sounds like a maraca but in fact is a sheet of metal-- in practice, often from a five gallon oil can-- evenly perforated with a nail, shaped into a cylinder, and played with a stiff brush, similar to the güiro. In merengue, the güira is brushed steadily on the downbeat with a "and-a" thrown in at certain points, or played in more complex patterns that generally mark the time.