Costa Rica’s music is a lively mix of Spanish, African, and Latin American influences, woven into its cultural identity. From festivals to family gatherings, music tells stories of history, tradition, and emotion. The core instruments—Quijongo, Ocarina, Carraca, Marimba, Chirimia, and Maracas—create sounds that are distinctly Costa Rican, each with a unique role in folk music. Let’s explore these instruments, their origins, and how they’re used today.
What Are Costa Rica’s Instruments?
Music is a cornerstone of Latin American culture, and Costa Rica is no exception—you won’t find a celebration without it. The country’s sound blends Spanish and African roots with influences from neighbors like Mexico, Cuba, and Jamaica. While Costa Rica never developed a fully unique music genre, it crafted its own style by mixing Latin American rhythms with local flair.
The music varies by region. In Guanacaste, the Marimba and Quijongo drive folk dances like Punto Guanacasteco. In Limón, Calypso grooves with drums and Maracas, reflecting African heritage. Ceremonial dances, like Danza del Sol, use the Chirimia and Quijongo for pre-Columbian vibes. Native tribes, like the Chorotega, have their own ancient sounds, though these are less common today..
The Best Musical Instruments of Costa Rica
Here’s a closer look at the instruments that define Costa Rican folk music, from their construction to the sounds they make.
1. The Quijongo
The Quijongo is more than an instrument—it’s a cultural treasure crafted by indigenous tribes like the Chorotega in Nicoya. This musical bow, about 150 cm (5 feet) long, is made from flexible guacimo wood, slightly bent, with a metal string stretched between the ends. A gourd (calabaza or jicara) tied one-third along its length acts as a resonator.
You play it by striking the string with a stick, adjusting the pitch by covering the gourd’s hole. Played inside a box, it produces a deeper sound. Its mystical tone, rooted in pre-Columbian times, is fading but still heard in Guanacaste’s folk music.
2. The Ocarina
If you’ve played The Legend of Zelda, you know the Ocarina. This ancient wind instrument, similar to a wide flute, dates back over 12,000 years. Costa Rican ocarinas, often shaped like toucans or other animals, trace to pre-Columbian groups like the Chorotega, not just Aztecs.
Made of clay, they have 2–6 holes, producing up to 7 tones by covering different combinations with your fingers. Their haunting, bird-like sound is rare today but still echoes in ceremonial songs.
3. The Carraca
The Carraca, or Quijada de Burro (donkey’s jaw), is one of Costa Rica’s quirkiest instruments. Made from donkey or horse jawbones, it creates a rich, rattling sound when struck. Despite its simple design, it’s a percussion gem.
Sadly, the Carraca has nearly vanished from Costa Rican music, overshadowed by the Marimba’s popularity. You might still hear it in old recordings or rare Guanacaste performances.
4. The Marimba
The Marimba, Costa Rica’s national instrument since 1996, is the heart of traditional music. Introduced in the 18th century, likely by African slaves or via Guatemala from Southeast Asian or Mayan origins, it’s a percussion instrument played with mallets tipped with wood, plastic, or rubber.
Its wooden keys, arranged like a xylophone, vary in size to produce different notes, with gourd resonators beneath each key. Some Marimbas have two keyboards for complex tunes. You’ll hear its warm, cheery tones at festivals, weddings, and dances like Punto Guanacasteco.
Much like a xylophone, the Marimba has wooden strips of varying lengths and sizes right next to one another, forming the keys. The wooden strips produce a different sound depending on its size. Much like the Quijongo, the Marimba also has numerous resonators beneath each key, usually a gourd. Some Marimbas have two keyboards, depending on how big it is.
5. The Chirimia
The Chirimia, a native oboe, came to Costa Rica with Spanish clergy in the 1500s–1600s. Made of wood with 6–10 holes, it produces varied tones by covering different hole combinations. Its reedy sound, often paired with drums, is a staple in religious processions and ceremonial dances like Danza del Sol.
While not unique to Costa Rica, its local tunes set it apart from other Latin American versions.
6. The Maracas
Maracas are a Latin American classic, and Costa Rica’s version stands out with rounder, larger gourds painted in vibrant colors. Filled with pebbles or wooden balls, they’re shaken by handles, often played in pairs connected by a string.
In Limón’s Calypso or Guanacaste’s folk music, Maracas add a lively rattle that’s unmistakably Costa Rican.
Other Instruments in Costa Rican Music
Beyond the core six, other instruments shape Costa Rica’s sound:
- Guitar: Brought by Spanish colonizers in the 16th century, it’s key for rhythm in Guanacaste’s folk tunes and Punto Guanacasteco.
- Drums (Tambores): Prominent in Limón’s Calypso and ceremonial dances, these vary in size and use animal hides for deep, driving beats.
- Bajo de Cajón: A Limón Calypso staple, this wooden box with a single string (no gourd resonator) anchors the rhythm.
- Jicara: A dried gourd filled with beads, used as percussion or as a resonator in instruments like the Quijongo.
Traditional Instruments Today
The Marimba still shines at festivals, weddings, and schools, with programs like SINEM in Nicoya teaching kids to play. Artists like Manuel Obregon and Guadalupe Urbina blend the Marimba and Quijongo with modern genres like Latin pop and reggae, keeping traditions alive. In Limón, the annual Carnival celebrates Calypso with drums and Maracas, honoring Afro-Caribbean roots.
Sadly, instruments like the Ocarina, Carraca, and Quijongo are fading, as the Marimba dominates and materials grow scarce. In 2024, University of Costa Rica researchers in Guanacaste began documenting these lesser-known instruments to preserve them. Efforts like these, plus recognition for musicians like Eulalio and Isidoro Guadamuz, aim to keep the Quijongo’s mystical sound alive.
Hear the Music
Costa Rica’s instruments are more than tools—they’re storytellers. Catch the Marimba’s warm notes at a Guanacaste festival, feel the Maracas’ rattle in Limón’s Calypso, or hunt for a rare Quijongo performance. Stream artists like Manuel Obregon or visit a local fiesta to hear Costa Rica’s soul in action. Pura vida!