Huayno (
Wayñu in
Aymara and
Quechua) is a genre of popular
Andean Music and
dance originally from Serrania, Peru. It is especially common in
Peru, but also present in
Chile,
Bolivia,
Argentina and
Ecuador, and is practiced by a variety of ethnic groups, including the
Quechua and
Aymara people. The history of Huayno dates back to the
colonial Peru as a combination of traditional rural folk music and popular urban dance music. High-pitched vocals are accompanied by a variety of instruments, including
quena (flute),
harp,
siku (panpipe),
accordion,
saxophone,
charango,
lute,
violin,
guitar, and
mandolin. Some elements of huayno originate in the music of the pre-
Columbian Andes, especially on the territory of former
Inca Empire. Huayno utilizes a distinctive rhythm in which the first beat is stressed and followed by two short beats.