Pair of rosewood claves.
Claves have been commonly used in Cuba since the 19th century - they are thought to have originated from African musical culture and have been brought to Cuba by slaves being shipped into the country. The clave pattern in Latin music functions like the continuous bell patterns found in traditional West African musical traditions. Claves are also thought to have developed as a distinctive instrument when African 'rhythm sticks' used by black slaves and the tejoltas (a stone pestle percussion instrument) which was favoured by Andalucian indentured servants came into contact in Cuban prison and labour camps to produce the claves as a distinctive rhythm instrument. Claves then began to be used in conjunction with a musical genre from descendents of the poorest of Spanish descendent farmers known as ‘musica campesina’ or peasant music.
