Ethnographic atlas of Cuba

Kalunga: 1. Large double membrane drum set on two wooden sawhorses. Two men sitting on it strike it with their hands. // 2. Congo origin dance in Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus province. It is closely linked to a beat that bears the same name.

Katá: Idiophone formed by a cylindrically hollowed piece of hard wood open or close at both ends. It is always placed horizontally and struck with two drumsticks. Its function is to maintain the extemporized rhythms in a high-pitched sound level. It is common to find it today in rumba groups and in Haitian groups in Camagüey as a bambu piece set in a metal lectern.

Kesulat: Double membrane drum similar to the military quinto. It is struck with drumsticks on one of its sides. It is commonly used in the comisi (a musical ensemble) of the Haitian bande rará that plays during Holy Week.

Kinfuiti: 1. Drum for rubbing, with a nailed drumhead, in whose center a piece of hemp attached inside to a reed is tied. The hemp is between the drumhead and the reed and is rubbed by the musician. Another type of kinfuiti has a ditch reed tied to the drumhead with a rope. The reed is in direct contact with the drumhead in the inner part of the sound box. Kinfuitis are only used in rituals, in entreaties designed to "pull the dead person" in the prenda (the place where the remains of a dead person being called are kept). In other occasions, they are always played together with other instruments. // 2. Dance with a highly erotic content, as is very common in dances of Congo origin. One person alone may perform it, although it is mostly danced by a man and a woman touching each other’s pelvises. When several couples dance together, they may stand in circles or lines.

Kiribá: Dance that may be considered a variation of changüí because of its characteristics. It is only performed in some localities in Granma and Holguín municipalities. In the position of a social dance, dancers, standing erect and without sudden hip movements, take waltz steps. It has a fixed choreography and dancers who change it are expelled as a punishment.

Kuelé: Three drums with cylindrical boxes made of a piece of wood, with two membranes, although only one is struck. They are played in almost vertical position, standing on the floor between the legs of the sitting musicians. The largest is 80 cm high and about 60 cm in diameter. It is called male or caja and is struck with two guidafi (pieces of hide). The middle-sized one, kuelé or dos golpes (two blows), is played with two sticks or with the hands. The small one, guie or un golpe (one blow), is struck with only one stick. Boxes are painted with white and red stripes, Chango's colors. The three have the same type of somewhat complex roping and with their hemp straps they form three lines of links with the form of a V between both hides, divided by two horizontal cords.

Kettledrum: An instrument of Islamic origin. It entered into Europe in the 14th century. It is a single membrane semi-spherical drum made of wood and metal played with drumsticks. It was used in Cuba from the 19th century on in philharmonic and dance orchestras. It was also used to accompany organs and barrel organs. Creole kettledrums, called timbales, formed by two drums in a semi-spherical metal box, with hides stretched by rings, tensed by keys and played with drumsticks, appeared later. These timbales are used today in son orchestras.