Of course, Peruvians listen to a variety of music just like people all over the world. Native Peruvian music, however, almost always includes the sounds of the charango, a small guitar. The charango is the national instrument in Peru, and is also popular throughout other countries in South America. I was surprised when I first learned that charangos were traditionally made from the shells of armadillos, but today many are made of wood. In the traditional Quechua language, the word for charango is actually the same as the word for armadillo. Charangos usually have five pairs of strings. They can be played by picking, which produces a harp-like sound, or strummed with the fingers. Charangos are often accompanied by flutes to create a peaceful, harmonious sound, but can also be used to create bright, rhythmic music for festivals and dances.
