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The batá is a double-headed drum shaped like an hourglass with one cone larger than the other. It is sacred to the Yoruba religion in Nigeria, as well as to worshippers of Santería in Cuba and in the United States.
There are three sizes of batá drums, the "okónkolo" (smallest), "itótele" (medium) and "iyà" (largest). These are played simultaneously (often with a cowbell or "aggogó") to create polyrhythmic compositions, or "toques" during santería ceremonies. A ceremony with batá drums is generally known as a "toque de batá", but ceremonies can also be accompanied by "chékere" ensembles, taking the place of the drums. There are estimated to be at least 140 different toques for the gods, or orishas and their different manifestations. The most important sequence of rhythms is an introductory toque used in most ceremonies which includes 14 standard rhythms for all the orichas.
Though largely restricted to religious music, batà drums and rhythms have started to be used in other genres, most notably in Cuban timba, jazz and hip hop.