Pinkillo: Chilean musical instrument

A pinkillo a flute found all through the Andes, it is used primarily being used in Peru, Argentina and Bolivia. It is often played with one hand; the other hand is left free to accompany oneself on a tambor drum. The musical instrument is used in many public festivals and some other kinds of communal ceremonies. The pinkillo has a totally length of 20 cm and has six finger holes. The musical instrument is made out of cane, but can be carved out of bamboo, bone or branches of a tree. In Peru and Bolivia, sheep nerves are used to tie the musical instrument together. Since the word pinkillo stipulates “flute”; it is usually typically referred to by the material on which it was made out of.

source: instrumentosmusicalesd...

The pinkillo has a great cultural meaning. In the Andes, the instrument is played during the early rainy season to mark in honour of cattle and farming. The musical instruments are dampened with alcohol or water as the case may be and are associated with fertility. The pinkillos are performed in pairs or groups during the rainy season and at the festivals of the country. It is believed in Bolivia that the musical instrument which is produced out of the cane can attract rainfall.