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Sumaj Chasquis

Celebrating the Roots of Bolivian Music & Culture

A Sumaj CHASQUIS concert is typically a two 45 minutes sets, and explores a variety of rhythms from Bolivia from the pre-Inca time to the post Spanish conquest era. The concert consists of songs coupled with explanations that celebrate the roots of the music, as well as showcasing the pure, native, Bolivian music and the European and African influences indigenous and European cultural influences.

Group members take the audience on a chronological tour of native, Bolivian music using the ancient Aymara and Quechua instruments. These include a variety of string instruments such as the Charango (an 18th century Bolivian string instrument made from the shell of an armadillo), percussion instruments such as the Chullus (a rattle made of goat hooves) and drums such as Wangaras.

The audience is also taught a Tinku (a traditional Bolivian dance) and a member of the audience is invited to join the band. The audience member is dressed in traditional clothing, selects a musical instrument and has the opportunity to perform with the group.

The performance is highly participatory. Artists ask the children in the audience questions throughout the performance, to involve them more thoroughly in the learning experience. (For example, when presenting some of the instruments, children enjoy guessing what some of our percussion instruments are made of). Time and space permitting, the artists often demonstrate how one or two folkloric dance rhythms are traditionally danced. If the presenter agrees, Sumaj CHASQUIS always reserves a 5-minute period just before the last song for the children and parents to have a chance to ask questions. By the end of the concert, if time and space allows, audience members are invited to get up and dance to the last song.

Group Biography

Sumaj CHASQUIS has its roots in the highland of La Paz, Bolivia. Juan Carlos Ferrufino, the founder/director of the band learned to play his traditional music from friends and relatives. As a young boy, he played with his high school band and at 16 he joined the Bolivian National Ballet, which toured Bolivia with his dances.

In 1987, Sumaj CHASQUIS started activities in the USA with great success. 1993, WGBH invited the Ferrufino family to be part of the documentary "Family Stories" which featured the struggle of Latino families in the USA. In 1994, Sumaj CHASQUIS' youngest member, Randy Ferrufino who was 7 at the time, was featured in Parents magazine in an article on bi-culturalism and bi-lingualism along with pop singer Gloria Estefan.

In the summer of 1995, Sumaj CHASQUIS was invited to record the sound track for the WGBH/PBS series "Americas". In 1998, they played at the United Nations in New York and at the Congress in Washington DC as part of their work with TAPORI, a worldwide organization dedicated to the fight against children’s poverty.

In 1999, they were invited to join "Young Audiences of Massachusetts", an organization with which they tour schools throughout New England.

As an expression of the group’s philosophy and goals, it has performed in support of institutions like Earthwatch and Cultural Survival.

Collaborations and Recordings

Sumaj CHASQUIS is constantly searching for the opportunity to perform with other musicians so that they can blend their traditional Bolivian music to create new music styles and to enjoy the experience of performing with other musicians. Past successful collaborations have been with Master Works Chorale, Chatham Chorale, Renasonics, Sol y Canto and Grupo Sonabo.

In addition to their recordings for WGBH/PBS, they have recorded two Albums, "Desde Boston Markajjataqui" (From Boston to My Homeland) and the CD El Mensanje" (The Message), "World Music for Children" with Blue Jay Recording Studios and with Grupo Sonabo on their album "Los Artistas al Poder".

To book Sumaj Chasquis for your event just call us at (617) 492-1515, or use our online contact form.