Panpipes & Ponchos: Musical Folklorization and the Rise of the Andean Conjunto Tradition in La Paz, Bolivia

Melodious panpipes and kena flutes. The shimmering strums of a charango. Poncho-clad musicians playing "El Cóndor Pasa" at subway stops or street corners while selling their recordings. These sounds and images no doubt come to mind for many "world music" fans when they recall their early encounters with Andean music groups. Ensembles of this type — known as "Andean conjuntos" or "pan-Andean bands" — have long formed part of the world music circuit in the Global North. In the major cities of...