The Zampoña pan flute from the Andes

Press play to hear sample of the Zampoña (check your volume first).

The zampoña or panpipe is a traditional Andean wind instrument that has its origin in the Andean highlands of South America, especially from countries such as Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Colombia. The zampoña is made up of a group of tubes (like small flutes) of different lengths and diameters, arranged in one or two vertical rows. Usually, one of the rows has tubes called ira and the row of seven is known as the ark.

The zampoña is the main instrument used in a musical genre known as sikuri. It is traditionally found all across the Andes but is more typically associated with music from the Kollasuyo or Aymara speaking regions around Lake Titicaca. Historically because of the complicated mountain geography of the region and due to other factors, in some regions each community would develop its own type of siku, with its own special tuning, shape and size. Additionally each community developed its own style of playing.

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