What Does charango Mean
A charango is a musical instrument that is often used in the Andes region . It is a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar , although it is much smaller.
The most common charango has five double strings . Its origins date back to the 18th century , when its resonance box was made with the shell of an armadillo (a mammalian animal whose shell is made up of bone pieces covered by moving horny plates).
Currently, the charango box is generally made of semi-hard or hard wood , trying to imitate the structure and shape of the armadillo's shell. It is common for the snare , the neck and the headstock to be developed in the same unit , without there being separate parts.
The woods most frequently used to make charangos are cedar , walnut , carob , mahogany and larch , among others. In some cases even the pegs are made of wood, although there are also metal pegs.
The charango is used in various Latin American folk rhythms , such as the huiano and the cueca . The musician who plays the charango is known as a charanguista .
Among the most famous charanguistas in history are the Argentine Jaime Torres , the Bolivian Mauro Núñez and the Chilean Roberto Márquez . It is also possible to find women who stand out for their talent with the charango like Marcela Morelo .
It is interesting to note that, in homage to the aforementioned Mauro Núñez , Bolivia celebrates the National Charango Day every January 15 . On that date in 1902, the prestigious musician was born, who died in 1973 .