Bolivia
Bolivian Campesinos (farmers)

Armadillo, Brazilian cedar neck, spruce top, mother-of-pearl inlay, gut strings
Early 20th century
Length: 24 in, Width: 6 in
Chordophones – Lutes

The charango is a small, fretted lute from the Andean regions of Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.  This is a traditional charango made with the shell from the back and head of an armadillo, (called quirquincho or mulita in South American Spanish).  It is sometimes called kirkinchu (Quechua language for ‘armadillo’) or kirki in Peru and Bolivia, and tatu or mulita in Argentina.  There are two main modern types of charangoes, those with a flat back and those with the wooden armadillo-shaped back. There are also those made of gourd usually for children.  

 This armadillo charango with 10 gut strings in five courses of two strings each, was played by the campesinos (farmers) in northern Argentina and the Lake Titicaca region of Peru and Bolivia.  It was played only by men as a solo or ensemble instrument and was used predominantly for courting and festival dances.  Both around the sound hole and the edges are an embellished decorative marquetry of intricate wood inlay.  The Andean hairy armadillos from Bolivia is unfortunately now an endangered species.  

Resource:  “Charango,” Thomas Turino. “The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments.” 2^nd ed., Vol. 1., Laurence Libin, Editor in Chief. Oxford University Press, 2014.