the viola de cocho, in contrast with the continuingly rough and ready aesthetic of the buriti, has been elevated to an artisanal craft with the pedigree of traditional guitar-making.

made from a single piece of hollow carved light wood, the cocho is left unvarnished and does not contain a sound hole. although now slightly out of favor with musicians, the cocho has been designated as a part of brazil's national heritage and is still widely used in folkloric music throughout the southern part of the country.