What events are the Mexican maracas used for?

Maracas are used for Mexican holiday celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo and Independence Day. The maracas are handheld percussion instruments used in traditional Latin American music.

Holiday celebrations in Mexico often include music. Some types of traditional Mexican music, such as salsa and mariachi music, typically use maracas as one of the instruments.

Historically, maracas were made from gourds or other tree fruit with seeds or pebbles placed inside. Modern-day maracas are made from materials such as leather or plastic with synthetic beads for filling. A musician shakes the maracas to make music. In Mexican music, a musician typically plays two maracas.