The flute yoresoma of the Chiquitano

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The Chiquitano are a society indigenous to the lowlands of eastern Bolivia, with a population of between 40,000 and 60,000 individuals (the third largest in the country) distributed among the provinces of Ñuflo de Chaves, Velasco, Sandoval, Germán Busch, Ichilo and Chiquitos (department of Santa Cruz) and Iténez (department of Beni), as well as in three municipalities in the state of Mato Grosso (Brazil). Speakers of the Bésiro language (the fourth most used in Bolivia), they dedicate themselves to agriculture and work on local farms, and keep alive an important part of their identity as a community.

This society arose from the amalgamation of several indigenous ethnic groups, gathered in the Jesuit reductions that were established in the area starting in the 17th century. The Guaraní who accompanied the conquerors used the derogatory diminutive tapiï-mirí, "small slaves", to refer to these peoples. The Europeans simplified the term by calling them "chiquitos" — "little ones". The area they inhabited was since then baptized "Llanos de Chiquitos" or "Chiquitanía".

The Chiquitano have a wide and rich organological heritage, which includes the buxikia busúkïro: wind instruments. Among them is the yoresoma, ioresoma, yoresoka, ioresoka, yoresomanka or ioresomanka: a single-row panpipe provided with six thin-walled reed tubes, with lengths ranging from 10 to 30 cm, held together with cotton thread.

   [Video. From YouTube user Yerko Amilcar Villarroel M.]

It is usually interpreted individually and on very few occasions: from the feast of All Saints (November 1) to that of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), and sometimes until the end of the year.

There are versions such as that of the town of San Lorenzo (in the municipality of San José de Chiquitos) in which a "mother" yoresoma (nipiapax yoresomanka) is performed alongside a "daughter" one that is half as long and sounds about an octave higher.

More information about this sound artifact can be found in the free-access digital book Musical instruments of the Chiquitano people (Wayrachaki Editora, 2017), accessible through the "In English > Publications > Digital books on music" section at Instrumentarium.

About the post

Text: Edgardo Civallero.

Publication date: 02.10.2023.

Picture: Flute yoresoma. In Musical instruments of the Chiquitano people.