Photo Gallery

Mulatto musicians from Choluteca, Honduras, play music on simple wind instruments. Throughout pre-Columbian times, the Indians knew only two kinds of musical instruments: drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles, ocarinas) made of rushes, bamboo or clay. Stringed instruments such as guitars, harps, violins and mandolins made their appearance at the time of the Spanish conquest of America. Later, brass instruments such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones and horns were introduced and adopted by the natives. The introduction of new instruments went hand in hand with the introduction of a Western-style musical aesthetic. The use of foreign instruments and the adoption of foreign melodies significantly changed the folklore of the region. - 1977

A mulatto from Choluteca, Honduras, plays a simple wind instrument. Throughout pre-Columbian times, the Indians knew only two kinds of musical instruments: drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles, ocarinas) made of rushes, bamboo or clay. Stringed instruments such as guitars, harps, violins and mandolins made their appearance at the time of the Spanish conquest of America. Later, brass instruments such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones and horns were introduced and adopted by the natives. The introduction of new instruments went hand in hand with the introduction of a Western-style musical aesthetic. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Throughout the pre-Columbian period, the Indians knew only two types of musical instruments, drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles and ocarinas) made of cane stalks, bamboo or clay. Instruments made of copper such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones and horns were soon adopted by the natives from the Spanish conquerors. The use of the foreign musical instruments and the adoption of a foreign type of music brought noticeable changes to the folklore of the indigenous people. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Throughout the pre-Columbian period, the Indians knew only two types of musical instruments, drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles and ocarinas) made of cane stalks, bamboo or clay. Instruments made of copper such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones and horns were soon adopted by the natives from the Spanish conquerors. The use of the foreign musical instruments and the adoption of a foreign type of music brought noticeable changes to the folklore of the indigenous people. - 1977