This large, hand-held drum, known in Puerto Rico as a pandereta or pandero, is an essential instrument in the musical genre known as plena. The plena was developed by agricultural workers at the end of the 19th century on the southern coast of the island, around the city of Ponce. Considered a national musical genre throughout the 20th century, the plena may have originally reflected musical traditions brought to Puerto Rico by immigrants from other Caribbean islands.
Pandereta
- Description
- This large, hand-held drum, known in Puerto Rico as a pandereta, is an essential instrument in the musical genre known as plena. The plena was developed by agricultural workers at the end of the 19th century on the southern coast of the island, around the city of Ponce. Considered a national musical genre throughout the 20th century, the plena may have originally reflected musical traditions brought to Puerto Rico by immigrants from other Caribbean islands.
- Description (Spanish)
- Este gran tambor de mano, conocido en Puerto Rico como pandereta, es un instrumento esencial dentro del género musical conocido como plena. La plena surgió entre los trabajadores del campo a fines del siglo XIX en la costa sureña de la isla, alrededor de la ciudad de Ponce. A lo largo del siglo XX se la consideró como género de música nacional, si bien originalmente puede haber reflejado tradiciones musicales llevadas a Puerto Rico por inmigrantes de otras islas del Caribe.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- Date made
- 20th century
- Credit Line
- Gift of Teodoro Vidal
- Physical Description
- leather (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- paint (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 7.5 cm x 31 cm; 2 15/16 in x 12 3/16 in
- Object Name
- drum, pandereta
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.