Bercebo: an ephemeral instrument

Abstract

Bercebo (giant feather grass) is one of the popular names of the bunchgrass scientifically known as Stipa Gigantea, native to southern Europe. With this grass, shepherds once built ephemeral instruments, which they used to entertain themselves as the sheep grazed.
Angelo Arribas is a traditional musician and luthier from the Portuguese region of Tras-os-Montes, close to the border with Spain. We first met him during the development of a research project that involved different institutions and researchers: our duty was to investigate the idea of border in both sides of the frontier and valuate its impact on traditional music.