PERU, Ind. -- Most people use gourds for fall decorations or crafting. Not Ron Luginbill. Give the 72-year-old Peru resident a gourd, and a few weeks later, he'll have turned it into an exquisitely ...

Such a gardener is Arthur Stephens of the Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra. He’s not looking for chaste gourds; he wants ones that whisper, “I’m a shakere” and “Make me your mbira.” When Stephens ...

Latrobe Valley folk musician Penelope Swales was talking with a guitar maker about the difficulties in being paid for the time spent on the craft before the focus turned to a gourd she had bought from ...

The history of gourd carving in Peru goes back to ancient times, when it was used for ceremonial purposes. Gourds were commonly used as containers or instruments, and later became a medium for ...

The fruit of the flowering plant species of the family Cucurbitaceae, the gourd has long been a staple in crafts. It has made many a home for backyard birds, yet there is more to a gourd than a ...