What is Sikus?
1.
Andean panpipes (wooden graduated tubes played by blowing over the top of each tube). Also spelled "sicus". There are two basic types: normal sikus and tabla sikus, the latter being graduated from the INSIDE of each tube, so giving the appearance of equally-sized tubes. Sikus come in varying sizes,from the smallest (chuli) to the largest (toyo and jach'a). Sikus are never curved as in the nai (Romanian panpipes), but are sraight up and down and usually found played in pairs or in "hocket" style, with the set of tubes played by one person complementing the other person's. A tropa, or group of musicians, playing only sikus is called "sikuri" or "sicuri".
Most Andean music groups have at least one person playing sikus.
See
