Antonio Centurión, Paraguayan Harpist
Antonio Centurion, Paraguayan Harpist
Portland, OR 97206
United States
ph: (503) 757-6190
fax: (503) 775-5080
Paraguayan Harp
The Guarani and Paraguay
Guaraní is a South American Indian group living mainly in Paraguay. They speak a language called Guaraní. The Guaraní language is currently spoken by over 4 million people in Paraguay and in some regions of Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. Beside Spanish, the Guaraní is an official language of Paraguay.
The Guaraní lived in small villages consisting of four to eight large communal dwellings. Each village accommodated 100 people or more, and had a Chief who resided locally.
They depended primarily on fishing, hunting and small farming. The main crops were corn, mandioca and yerba mate. The yerba mate contains medicinal properties that help its drinkers to keep healthy and energetic. The Guaraní have been drinking this tea in the form of MATE or TERERE for thousands of years.
Paraguay is located in South America and it is an inland country, surrounded by Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Paraguay became an independent republic on May 14th 1811. During that time, Paraguay was a country of small farmers; most of them were mestizos, a mix of Guaraní with Spanish.
Today, Guaraní myths, dances and songs constitute a rich body of the Paraguayan folklore. Modern Paraguay still claims a strong Guaraní heritage.
By Paraguayan Harpist, Antonio Centurion
The Paraguayan Harp
During the XVI and XVII centuries the Spanish Jesuit Missionaries came to South America. To evangelize the Guaraní Indians they founded around 30 Missions in the area of the Giant Province of Paraguay.
The Spanish Jesuit Missionaries introduced to the Guaraní at the Missions some of the European musical instruments such as cithara, organ, flute, trumpet, guitar and the harp. Among all the instruments, the harp intrigued and captured the attention of the natives. There are indications that the Guaraní built one of their first harps in the Mission of Santísima Trinidad del Paraná, (Itapua, Paraguay) copying the models brought by the Missionaries from Europe.
The Paraguayan harp got its particular shape and design in the first half of our century. It is designed so that the strings come from the center of the neck passing between the two halves. It has 36 to38 nylon strings. It stands about 5 foot high and is very light and portable. The sound box is made of cedro or trebol and pine. The original tuning pegs were made from wood, but lately have been replaced with mechanical pegs like those on the guitar. Little wooden rods were added to make sharps by pressing the strings against them. Sharpening levers have been adapted to the Paraguayan harp. It is played with the fingernails as well as the finger pads. It can be played either in a sitting or standing up position.
The Paraguayan harp has become established as the national instrument of the Republic of Paraguay.
By Paraguayan Harpist, Antonio Centurion
Antonio Centurion, Paraguayan Harpist
Portland, OR 97206
United States
ph: (503) 757-6190
fax: (503) 775-5080
