What is Cuíca ? yeah baby

Any idea what is a Cuica? 

Austin Power asking you a question

Some of you might have heard the sound before but never pay much attention to it. Is used commonly in samba music.

Well Soul Bossa-Nova by Quincy Jones really leaves me a great impression of this instrument.

Here is a clue. Yeah baby! It sounds like a laughing hyena

Are you able to identify the unique sound made by Cuica at the intro?

At first when listen, I thought this sound cant possibly be made by a instrument it has to be synthesized or maybe is just some laughing vocal sound clip. Haha.

Ok here is how the Cuica looks like o.o --->

Is a fairly simple instrument that looks like a drum but with a stick attatched to the drumhead/membrane. The stick is usually made of wood whatever it is made of it must be rosined.

Well practically any music instruments that need friction needs to be rosined right? eg. All the String instruments

To play the instrument simply rubbed the rod with a wet cloth. Varying the pressure applied on the membrane/rod the pitch and timbre could change.

Some say that the Africans use it to call for the lions as it resembles the roar of the lioness? 

but I feel that it sounded more like a laughing hyena dont you agree with me?

here is a McDonald Cuica  vs Laughing hyena