Howard's own mixed heritage, being of African, European and East Indian descent, was a constant backdrop to his musical interests.
He had a particular interest in the musical heritage of the Djuka people of Suriname and not only collected their instruments, but also acquired elaborately hand-carved furniture, including the double doors to his home.
As Dr. Howard pointed out, to this researcher, during a visit to his home the Djuka people had maintained their culture in stasis due to the isolated nature of their existence.
The event was so successful that other museums, including the Smithsonian,[1] created their own traveling exhibits using a selection of instruments from the collection and the estate of Fernando Ortiz.
Included are hand-painted sacred and secular drums, rattles and other percussion instruments from the Caribbean, South America and West Africa.
The exhibit includes a variety of instruments made from "found objects", such as - a hoe blade and jaw bone, right alongside artifacts employing complex strung heads and tuning mechanisms.