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Saturday 3 February 2024 locAl
A10

Episode C -100 Musical Instruments

go typically has 10 strings
(5 sets of 2 strings strung
very close together) but
can have up to 20 strings.
The first story says that the
native peoples loved the
sound of the Vihuela (an
ancestor of the classic gui-
tar). However, they lacked
the knowledge and tech-
nology to make the vi-
huela.

So they made it with what
they had available (arma-
dillo shells). Another story
says that the Spaniards
prohibited natives from
practicing their ancestral
music, and that the cha-
rango was a successful at-
tempt to make a lute that
We want to start this 100th When the Spanish con- could be easily hidden un-
episode by thanking and quistadors came to South der a garment such as a
celebrating the opportunity America, they brought the poncho. It’s believed the
that Aruba Today has given vihuela (an ancestor of the charango came into its
Etnia Nativa to transmit and classical guitar) with them. present form in the early
share culture through our The charango may have 18th century in the city of
weekly space and as in evolved from the vihuela, Potosí in the Royal Audi-
any celebration there are bandurria (mandolin), or encia of Charcas part of
musical instruments, today the lute. Experts “charan- the Viceroyalty of Peru (in
we want to share with you guistas”, have noted char- what is present-day Boliv-
our dear followers and tell acteristics of the charango ia), probably from Amerin-
you regarding one special in various vihuelas and dian contact with Spanish
music instrument that oc- guitars of the 16th centu- settlers. Because the mod-
cupies a special place: ry, and maintains that the ern countries of Peru and is difficult to trace the cha- mains highly debated. The
“Charango”. charango is the direct de- Bolivia had not yet been rango’s origin to a specific first published historic infor-
scendant of the vihuela. established at the time, it country, and the issue re- mation on the charango
We know that healing may be that gathered by
through sound dates back The charango originated Vega, going back to 1814,
thousands of years and from the Quechua and Ay- when a cleric from Tupiza
those music remediated mara peoples, but only af- documented that “the
illnesses and revived the ter the Spanish introduced Indians used with much
spirit since sound is a vi- stringed instruments. The enthusiasm the guitarrillos
bration and everything in charango was traditionally mui fuis… around here in
life is made up of vibrating made with dried armadillo the Andes of Bolivia they
atoms. Depending on the shells better known as quir- called them Charangos”.
instrument we listen to, we quincho (a very common Curios of the Latin America
can be influenced at the animal in the Andes Moun- History is when in 1973 Chil-
cellular level by the trans- tains) for the backs and ean the top military orga-
mitted vibrations. Some wood as front cover for the nized a meeting with folk
instruments help us move sound box. Even though musicians where it was ex-
from what are known as the charango is traditional- plained that the traditional
“beta brain wave pat- ly made with the armadillo instruments charango and
terns”, or those associated shell, today it is also com- quena were now banned
with concentration, anxiety mon to made charango’ss and totally prohibit.
and struggle, to calmer fre- completely out of wood.
quencies known as “Brain The charango traditionally To get to know more over
waves associated with re- is used and played in Ecua- Aruba’s and its origins, its
laxation (Alpha), medita- dor, Bolivia, Chile, Argen- animals and culture, we
tion (Theta) and trance-like tina, and Peru. The cha- highly recommend you to
states (Delta). rango is 66cms (22 inches) book your visit for our re-
long and is usually made nowned cultural encoun-
Let’s go back to our be- from wood and the shell of ter session has been enter-
loved charango! an armadillo. The charan- taining curious participants
for decades. Mail us at et-
Article by: Etnia Nativa nianativa03@gmail.com to
confirm your participation.
Whatsapp us +297 592 2702 and book Our facilities and activities
your Aruban exprerience take place close to high
Etnia Nativa is close to the high rise hotels rise hotels.q