The rain stick is a percussion instrument made from a dried cactus branch. It originated in Chile, South America where tribesmen have used the sticks for centuries to serenade the gods in hopes of bringing rain. Only wooden skeletons are used in creating rain sticks, and removing the old, dead growth provides room for new vegetation in dense cactus forests.
           The first step in making the instrument is finding just the right branch and cutting it to size. Then it's hollowed out with a steel rod, and thorns from live cacti are pounded into the shaft in a spiral fashion. The stick is filled with small pebbles, and the ends are capped and sealed. To play the instrument, it's held by either end and tilted slightly. The pebbles trickle over the thorns, making the sound of gentle rain.

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