Kantu or k'antu is an ancient style of music and

circle dance Circle dance, or chain dance, is a style of social dance done in a circle, semicircle or a curved line to musical accompaniment, such as rhythm instruments and singing, and is a type of dance where anyone can join in without the need of Partne ...

which is widespread since incaic or even preincaic epoch on the

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

vian and

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

n highlands. Modern versions of this style still use the

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several Indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, an Indigenous South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language ...

Aymara Aymara may refer to: Languages and people * Aymaran languages, the second most widespread Andean language ** Aymara language, the main language within that family ** Central Aymara, the other surviving branch of the Aymara(n) family, which today ...

language and the siku (ceremonial panpipe). Some musicologists argue that the name for this style comes from the Spanish word 'canto' meaning 'song.' Linguists might argue that the name comes from the Quechua word 'k'antu' which is a widely known flower in Bolivia. Also, ''k'antu'' may be a word of extinct

Puquina Puquina (or Pukina) is an extinct language once spoken by a native ethnic group in the region surrounding Lake Titicaca (Peru and Bolivia) and in the north of Chile. It is often associated with the culture that built Tiwanaku. Remnants of Puquin ...

language with unknown meaning.

Dancing

K'antu is a

, but some women and men also dance in pairs inside or outside of the circle.

Resources

For recorded version of the k'antu songs, please refer to ''Worlds of Music'' listed as a reference.

Some examples

There is a variety of bands who play the Kantu style, such as: *

Los Kjarkas Los Kjarkas is a Bolivian band from the Capinota province in the department of Cochabamba, and one of the most popular Andean folk music bands in the country's history. Among the styles they play are Saya, tuntuna, huayno, and carnavales. ...

Inkuyo Inkuyo is a multicultural musical ensemble that performs Andean music arranged by Gonzalo Vargas. Vargas is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and record producer. He founded Inkuyo with Pamela Darington, Jorge Tapia, and Omar Sepulve ...

Bolivia Manta Bolivia Manta is a Bolivian group created in France in 1977 by Carlos and Julio Arguedas that performs traditional music of pre-Hispanic and contemporary music of the Andes, particularly that of the Aymara and Quechua-speaking people of Bolivia ...

Grupo Aymara Grupo Aymara are a Bolivian folk troupe that have been acclaimed worldwide for its inspiring interpretations of traditional music of pre-Hispanic and contemporary music of the Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range ...

Awatiñas The Awatiñas are a Bolivian folk music group begun in the 1970s by Mario Conde. Their ballads are mostly sung in Spanish and Aymara. They are popular across much of Latin America and have a substantial following in parts of Europe, Asia, and North ...

* Markasata *

K'antu Ensemble Kantu or k'antu is an ancient style of music and circle dance which is widespread since incaic or even preincaic epoch on the Peruvian and Bolivian highlands. Modern versions of this style still use the Quechua or Aymara language and the siku ...

an award-winning ensemble from Birmingham

References

Andean music Music of Bolivia Music of Peru Circle dances Panpipes Indigenous dances of South America {{music-genre-stub