Peruvian music is an amalgamate of styles which has its roots in
the Spanish colonization of South America in the 16th century. The music
combines elements from three cultures:
There are two main styles: Criollo and Afro-Peruvian. Criollo is Hispanic influenced music, while the Afro-Peruvian
is black influenced.
The colonization of Peru was very different than that from other
South American countries. African slaves were initially brought
to Peru to work in the gold and silver mines in the high Andes. Not
many survived the extreme temperatures, and the high
altitude, and as a result many of the slaves were sent to the milder
coastal region to work on the sugar cane fields. The Spanish and
Creole haciendas are the birthplace of the Afro-Peruvian
The diversity of the slaves that were brought into Peru also played
an important role in the origins of the Afro-Peruvian music. In Brazil
and other Central/North American countries, large numbers of slaves from
the same tribe were imported. To discourage uproar, the Peruvian slaves
were imported from widely dispersed geographical locations in Africa and
as a result had very different ethnical backgrounds and cultures.
Because of their ethic diversity, the Peruvian slaves easily adopted the
culture and language of their new country, and integrated elements from
Andean music into theirs. There were some occasions at which
music was shared: Christmas was a time at which the Africans were
allowed to share their cultural background with the indigenous people.
The Catholic Church also encouraged cofradiás: associations that
served to preserve national and African culture.
Traditional lyrics of Afro-Peruvian music deal with penalivio:
"easing the pain" of slavery, much like the origins of the blues. The
songs oftentimes relate to slave labor, or (religious) feasts. There are
many sub-genres such as the festejo (celebration), a dialogue of short
phrases with sudden pauses. This music is the basis for dance
competitions. Another sub-genre is the landó; a type of Peruvian dance
music similar to Carribean music, but slower and gentler. The marinera
is also a typical Peruvian dance music, usually performed in
Due to Spanish influences, many Peruvians learned to play European
instruments and music, but added their own interpretation. This is the
source of (Hispanic) criollo. The vals criollo is a direct
descendant from the Viennese Waltz, but has a more restrained, dry
sound. There are many other influences and styles that shaped both the
Criollo as well as the Afro-Peruvian music.
Because of the many cultural influences on Peruvian music, there is a
wide array of instruments. The traditional pre-Hispanic
instruments are typically wind instruments such as:
- Quena - a straight tube instrument with five or six sound-holes
- Zampoña/Antara - this instrument is the south American pan-
pipe: it is a bound cluster of sound pipes. The number of pipes varies
from region to region.
- Tarka - An ancient wooden flute, used for religious ceremonies and
There are also several traditional pre-Hispanic percussion instruments in Peru:
- Chác-Chás/chullus - rattles made of goat hooves tied to a strip
- Bombo Legüero - a drum made froma hollow tree trunk covered with a
cured animal skin.
- Chaucha - A giant dried, wild pod filled with seeds that is used as
- Palo de Lluvia - The "rain stick". This instrument consists of a 6
ft. long, hollow bamboo reed with sealed ends. A large number of sticks
intersects the walls of the reed, and the reed is filled with dried
beans. The rain stick is played by turning it upside-down repeatedly.
The criollo (also) uses more traditional European instruments such as:
- Guitar - This is the most popular instrument in Peru. The basic
form is the traditional six-string Spanish guitar, although there are
also modifications with ten strings.
- Harp - This instrument is also very popular, and many variations
in shape, material and tuning exist.
- Violin - The violin is played all over Peru. The instrument is
either identical to the European violin, but there are also many
variations on the instrument.
- Charango - This is the Andean version of the Spanish guitar. The
instrument is usually smaller than a guitar, and the number of strings
- Mandolin - the mandolin is a string instrument similar to a
lute. The soundbox is often made of an armadillo shell.
Due to its origins, typical instruments of the Afro-Peruvian music
consists of very simple instruments. Some of the percussion instruments
were developed from household appliances such as spoons, table tops,
wooden boxes. Typical instruments are:
- Cajón - A wooden box with a sound-hole at the back. The musician
sits on top of the box and raps with both hands on the front.
- Quijada - this instrument is a bottom half of a jawbone of a
donkey, mule or horse. The instrument is held in one hand and punched
with the other to make the teeth rattle. The vibra-slap was derived
from the Quijada.
- Cajita - This instrument is a wooden box, smaller than the
Cajón. The cajita is played by opening and closing the top lid of the
box to the rhythm of the music, while striking it with a stick.