Quena facts for kids
The quena (sometimes spelled "kena") is a special type of flute from Peru and the Andes region. It is usually made from bamboo. This flute has six holes for your fingers and one hole for your thumb. Both ends of the quena are open.
To make a sound, the player covers the top end of the pipe with the area between their chin and lower lip. Then, they blow a stream of air downwards, over a small notch cut into the end of the flute. The quena usually plays in the key of G major. This means its lowest note, when all holes are covered, is G. It makes a very airy and soft sound.
The quenacho (or "kenacho") is a larger version of the quena. It makes a deeper, lower sound. It is played in the same way as the quena. The quenacho is usually in the key of D major, which is a lower pitch than the quena. In some towns in the Andes, people used to jokingly say "vamos a ir a la quena" (we will go to the quena) to scare children. This was because the quena is made of bamboo, which is a very hard material.
The quena is mostly used in traditional Andean music. In the 1960s and 1970s, many Nueva Canción musicians started using the quena. Groups like Illapu often featured it in their songs. Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, some rock bands also used the quena. For example, Soda Stereo used it in their song Cuando Pase el Temblor. Los Enanitos Verdes also featured it in Lamento Boliviano. The quena is also quite common in World music today.
Other Andean Flutes
Besides the quena, there are other interesting flutes from the Andes:
- The pinquillo (also called pinkuyo or pinkiyo) is played with the same finger positions as the quena. It looks and works a lot like a recorder. It has a special air channel, or fipple, that guides the air to make sound.
- The tarka (or tharqa) is also similar to a recorder. However, it is shorter and has a more angular, blocky shape. The tarka needs more breath to play and makes a darker, stronger sound.
- The moseño (or mohoseño) is a very long bamboo flute. It has two tubes and makes a deep sound. The extra tube helps to direct the air.
More to Explore
See also
In Spanish: Quena para niños
