Ethnographic atlas of Cuba

Thatch (to): To cover with thatch, palm leaves, palm fibrous tissue or other plant material the roof of rural houses, mainly bohios.

Taburete: Quadrangular chair with a strong wooden framework. The seat and the back are usually made of hide. It was one of the household furniture items most widely used as a musical instrument, mainly by peasants. The hide was tempered with fire or under the sun, then the chair was turned and the player sat on its front legs and stroke the hide that now stood up vertically.

Tahona: 1. Musical instrument formed by a small barrel and a goat hide fixed to one of its ends. // 2. Old dance performed by blacks in Santiago de Cuba. Its orchestra was very popular in parrandas. Actually, the tahona orchestra is based on the Tumba Francesa, since its instruments are portable. In the Eastern part of the country, the orchestra is formed by three huecos or drums, a tambora, a tragaleguas, a hierro (an iron, mostly plow teeth) and a seashell or guamo.

Tajaraste: A very old traditional dance from the Canarian Archipelago still performed in some places, mainly Tenerife. Dancers form a circle and jump forwards and backwards with the purpose of gathering in the center. Even when it was probably danced in Cuba in the early decades of this century, today the Canarian groups that mostly settled in the central area of the island do not dance it.

Takuá: 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.

Talantín: Fishing gear formed by a long lever and a small bar to separate the stones under which spiny lobsters (Panilurus argus) hide, so as to capture them with the chapingorro

Tambourín: Membranophone instrument similar to a large tambourine, formed by a rigid wooden ring some three inches wide, covered by a smooth tense hide. The Haitian bande rará ensembles use it.

Tangón: A pole to which a chord is tied and a quitavueltas, a spoon and a hook are tied. The pole separates the chord from the boat. The hook is dragged for fishing. It is used to fish bay mackerel (Scomberomus maculatus).

Tenerife (crochet knitting): Canarian crochet knitting used as an ornament in lady's garments. It has only been reported in the provinces of Cienfuegos and Villa Clara, in the central area of the island.

Tetera: Barrier formed by an hexagonal metal network with cages placed at some interval from each other. Its function is to stand in the way of spiny lobsters (Panilurus argus) so as to make them enter the cages when trying to find a way out.

Tibisí: Common name of several species of creeping wild grasses (Fam. Graminnae, Arthrostyliudium copilligfolium. A. capitatum, A. cubense, etc.). Its reeds are used to make bird cages, fishing baskets and baskets.

Timbalero: Kettledrum (Sp. timbal) player.

Tingo-talango: 1. Peasant dance. // 2. Musical instrument. (See tumbandera).

Tolla: Circular space in the metal sheet of the buren, where the cassava flour is poured and the cassava bread is formed and cooked.

Tonadas trinitarias (Trinitarian tunes): Choral ensemble that on Christmas and other festive occasions sang in the streets of Trinidad accompanied by three small wedge drums. They played fandangoes and the lyrics dealt with various family and social topics.

Topo Yayino: Deity of Santería or Regla de Ocha and of the Arará cult. It is represented by a stone with the form of a head and has the power to protect the paths.

Tralla: Chord surrounding the edges of a net.

Tren chico (small train): A variation of the fishing basket with a cylindrical form, woven in triangles, used to catch lane snappers (Lutjanus synagris) and other snapper species. When used for hamlets (Epihephelus striatus) it is called nasa veril (edge fishing basket) and for yellow eye snapper (Lutianus vivanus) it is called nasa del alto (deep sea fishing basket).

Tres: Lute with a sound box in the form of a pear or an eight, with a round opening as a mouth. The string bearer has the form of a handle and is added as a neck. Its strings are generally set in pairs, even when some with nine strings in three triple orders have been found. It is plucked with a plectrum.

Trian: Name Haitians give to the hoe. The samba or song guide plays it.

Trova (Peña de la) (Trova Circle): Name given to the place where trovadores (composers of Cuban traditional songs) meet.

Trulla: Groups that walked the streets singing popular songs in Christmas.

Tumba Antonio: Courting dance where the partners flirt. The woman, chased by the man, tries to flee from him with quick head movements. The man uses a handkerchief as a lasso to bring the woman nearer. In the western part of the island this variation of the son montuno is called Tumba Antonio, while in the center it is called zambantonio or zumbantorio.

Tumba de monte: 1. Single membrane drum with an open box made of one piece of wood with the form of a trunk, approximately 1 m high and 43 cm diameter. It is tuned by fire. The hide is tensed in a mixed fashion. It is played in a hole made in the ground to the accompaniment of three other drums and a hoe. It is considered a Cuban drum with Arará and Congo elements. // 2. Tumba Francesa ensemble in coffee plantations, not in towns, that danced and played freely. This type of tumba used to be frequently found in the past. Today only one is found in a coffee plantation in Bejuco, Sagua de Tánamo, Holguín province.

Tumba francesa: 1. Drums with one drumhead and ropes running under stakes that are set inside the body of the drum and then rise to the drumhead. They have an open cylindrical box. A rope or string tied on both sides to a ring diametrically traversing the tense membrane runs on top of the drumhead. This rope vibrates when the drum is struck with the hands. // 2. Type of mutual benefit and leisure society formed by Haitian immigrants and their offspring.

Tumbadora: Drum with one drumhead enclosed in a ringtensed by keys. The box has the form of a barrel and is open in the side opposite to the drumhead. It is struck with the hands.

Tumbaíto: One of the variations of the son montuno. It is given this name because of a movement in the dance which is compared with that made to draw water from a well.

Tumbandera: Chordophone. A 40 cm hole is opened on the ground and a dry palm leaf fastened to the ground by a pitchfork is put on top of it. A flexible rod or yaya is stuck at a certain distance and a copper wire is tied to its end. The other end of the wire is fastened to the center of the leaf. When the string is played, it produces a sound similar to that of the double bass.