This instrument was originally used in Africa for lion hunting due to the fact that the sound produced by a cuica can be very similar to a lion female roar, thus attracting the male.

It was brought to Brazil by Afran slaves (probably Bantu') where is nowadays very popular and commonly used at Carnival time by the Escolas de Samba.

Metal cuica is the most common one but it can be made by wood or rarely (view pic) by fiberglass.
Embedded on the underside of the calf-skin head is a bamboo stick.

The cuica's sound is produced by pulling and pushing a wet cloth on the bamboo stick. By pressing the head with the finger close to the center it is possible to change the sound (the harder you press, the higher the sound will be).

Basic preparatory exercises and/or traditional patterns: