Music Stuffs

Going to Cusco means getting to enjoy a beautiful city with an incredible history and amazing architecture. It also means being bombarded by people who want to sell something-a massage ("ma-sa-HAY") for weary trekers, jewelry, belts, hats, and artwork. I´ve become sort of used to walking around repeating "no gracias, no gracias" over and over (and over and over...).

HOWEVER, it´s a different story with Elias Vargas. We met Elias, the host dad to our friend Charlie, when Matthew and I spent  the night before leaving for our Machu Picchu trek. (and again at  the amazing birthday party I wrote about a bit ago). He was incredibly hospitable, offering us coca tea and showing us around his workshop.

He and his brothers make beautiful instruments, including Quenas (flutes), pan pipes, and small guitars. He makes them from wood, by hand. The guitars are amazing, as they are carved from a single piece of wood. Elias eventually would like to sell his instruments in a shop, or have a website, but as of now sells them at the plaza in downtown Cusco. I hate imagining the rejection he faces each day, as not every traveler is a musican and many just want to walk down the street in peace.

 Elias´ brother-in-law is also a talented artist, making drawings and paintings in charcoal, pen, oil, and watercolors of musicans, the streets of Cusco, people in traditional dress, and alpacas. Matthew and I have already made a few purchases from Elias, a talented musican and just a very kind man in general. If you´re interested in supporting his work, Matthew and I are happy to bring or send the instruments home to the states. Let us know if you´d like any more information or photos.

 

An old photo of Elias with a piece of wood before starting to carve it into a guitar,

and early stages of the guitar process

A photo of a block of wood that he hasn´t begun, with a guitar-in-progress sitting on top of it.

(Finished product in first photo.Each guitar is a little different, some painted, some burned, all beautiful.)

This is what the Quenas look like. Some have actual condor bones for the mouthpiece.

**I tried 3 times to upload a video of the talented Elias playing both the pan pipes and guitar. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of space for the video before he finished the song. Trust me, the finale was amazing. Will try on another computer another day...**