Quena

The Quena is a beautiful woodwind, sometimes called the Kena, is considered the flute of the Incas. For more than 500 years, the Quena has been integral to the music of South America, and thanks to its appealing sound, it has become internationally beloved.

The basic Quena is capable of producing three different octaves of notes, and this is achieved through the force of air used across the mouthpiece, with stronger blowing producing higher octaves. If you would like to play a lower-toned flute, the Quenacho or Kenacho is of the same general construction, but a fourth lower in pitch than the Quena.

This original illustration depicts an ancient Andean Quena Flute. Early flutes of this type were often made of condor quills or, as in this case, from the bones of llamas - animals sacred to the Indigenous Peoples. This early Quena is currently held by the Museo De Instrumentos Precolombinos De Aguas Calientes in Cuzco, Peru.