The charango is a stringed instrument, similar to a guitar, but smaller in size and higher in pitch, that has a very important place in traditional Andean music.
The sweet musical tones of the charango can be heard in the folk music of Chile, Colombia, Argentina and -most of particularly- Peru and Bolivia.
There are many theories about the origins of the popular charango, but most agree it’s a native adaptation of the string instruments introduced in the New World by the Spanish conquistadores.
Click play to learn about the fascinating history of this special instrument: