EL SACRO SONIDO EN EL DESIERTO. LOS ÓRGANOS EN LAS IGLESIAS ANDINAS DEL NORTE CHILENO, SIGLOS XVIII-XIX

The regions of Arica Parinacota and Tarapacá, which currently constitute the extreme north of Chile, have been considered as peripheral places with respect to the centers of colonial and republican power. However, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, due to the strong presence of mining, the economic engine of the region, these territories saw the flourishing of an important musical activity linked to popular worship and religiosity. In this context, through the analysis of documentary, ethnohistorical and field work sources, the presence of organs in the small temples of the towns scattered in the Chilean desert is confirmed. The forenamed analysis also revealed that the indigenous population was involved in the activities of religious worship, playing a leading role in the interpretation, construction, and repair of these musical instruments.