Garden City High School Hosts "Yarina"

Traditional Ecuadorian music and dance

In April the students at Garden City High School enjoyed performances of hauntingly beautiful melodies from the Andean Mountains in Ecuador. The group's name; "Yarina" means "remembrance" in Quichua, the native language of the Incas. Yarina was formed by four brothers, Roberto, Rimay, Manuel and Jose Cachimuel and they have since been joined by their seven other siblings! Their performance was unique, in that it featured music and dance of the Andes, performed on modern and ancient instruments. These instruments, designed to sound like birds and other rainforest creatures, included a ten stringed lute made from the shell of an armadillo, a flute made of rain forest bamboo, shakers made of sheep's hooves and a mandolin with fifteen steel strings. Their repertoire ranged from ancient Andean rhythms to original compositions, incorporating Jazz, Blues, Latin and Classical Western styles. As an accompaniment to the music, the performers also demonstrated native dances in typical Andean costumes. The Garden City High School students truly appreciated the performances of this exceptional group.

Students play native instruments

Since 1984, Yarina has been dedicated not only to musical excellence, but to the preservation of ancestral traditions and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Andes. Their dedication has earned them the honor of being named "Ambassadors for Indigenous Ecuadorial Performers" by the Department of Culture, Quito, Ecuador. Yarina has performed extensively, and to great acclaim, throughout Europe, and the Americas at universities, festivals and schools.

This program was coordinated by the Arts in Education Committee of the Garden City School District Parent Teacher Association, funded by the Garden City Union Free School District.

Flutes made of rainforest bamboo