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