Arpa Llanera

The llanos’ harp is at the heart of music from this region, the cowboy plains of eastern Colombia. Spanish conquerors brought the instrument with them when they travelled to the New World and it soon became absorbed into local culture. The llanos version has 32 or 33 strings of different lengths and is usually made from cedar, pine or another hard wood. The harp has since inspired infusions with pop and salsa music, although its popularity in the region’s traditional llanera music is evident at the annual “Golden Harp” festival, usually held in Saravena, Arauca.