What do we think when we see the instruments in people's hands? We hear the clacks and ticks, but we never think of the masters who make and play them:
Castanets (castañuelas in Spanish). These are actually Arab in origin. They came from places such as Morocco and the Mediterranean. The Gitano Roma people developed Flamenco thus castanets were used in place of sagats or zills.
Here is some history:
The early castanets were developed by Phoenicians. They were used in temples and for rituals most likely. The Roma of Spain saw these similar to the sagat they already knew how to play. The technique is Spanish for sure in origin. Here are the basics:
Now we have the information, how should we use them? We can use them many ways to express ourselves in Flamenco. Wait until June to see more about Flamenco.