Chirimia: Guatemalan musical instrument
The chirimia is a Spanish term for a kind of oboe. The chirimia is a member of the shawm family of double reed musical instruments, introd...
http://worldhitz4u.blogspot.com/2013/12/chirimia-guatemalan-musical-instrument.html
The chirimia is a Spanish term for a
kind of oboe. The chirimia is a member of the shawm family of double reed
musical instruments, introduced to the Central and South America in the 16th
century and the 17th century by the Spanish clergy.
source of picture: musicabeata.blogspot.com
Usage of the musical instrument
differs widely across Latin American and Iberia, with the musical instrument
being extinct in some areas, though a living tradition in others.
The musical instrument and drum are
used to accompany religious activities and annual commemorative dance-dramas in
several remote areas of Latin America, including Jacaltenango, Guatemala. The
music manufactured is quite distinctive and differs from one region to another.
This tradition is an adaptation of the pre-Columbian practice of accompanying
religious activities and processions with drums, whistles and flutes.
There are two kinds of the chirimia
in Guatemala, a small one and a large one. The size of the holes and their
location is what determines the sound of the small version of the musical
instrument. In some part of country, as Jacaltenango, smaller and larger
versions of the musical instrument are performed together with small and large
drums.
The normal chirimia has about 10
holes while the Guatemalan and Mexican chirimia has about 6 to 10 holes on
them. Although the outward appearance of the instruments and the number and
size of the holes differ regionally in the Mexican country and the Guatemala,
these instruments are all double-reeded wooden instruments. Some of them have a
conical bore, while others have cylindrical bore. The kind of reeds and manner
in which they are kept in place also differ.
The Jakaltek chirimia known as ‘su’
in the Jakaltek language is very analogous to the chirimias of the central and
southern Mexico. This version of the musical instrument is about 34.5 cm long,
without the double-reed in place. The wooden part is about 27 cm long and has
cylindrical bore on it, with 6 vertical holes and 2 lateral holes. The
mouthpiece of the instrument is made up of a staple, a tapered metal
cylindrical that wrapped with strings and topped with a wooden pirouette. The
bulbous beneath part of the staple fits snugly into the wooden part of the
musical instrument, but can easily be removed for cleaning.
