OKRA Arts, Crafts & Design Gallery, Helsinki

Kanteles are a traditional string instrument native to Finland. Their roots go back to antiquity. They’ve been compared to a zither or lap harp.

Made of wood kantele has a triangular shape with the strings running across the top of the instrument. The older types might have five or six horsehair strings, with the instrument carved from one piece of wood. More modern versions have metal strings and often a body made from several blocks of wood.

The kanteles for personal use usually have 15 or fewer strings, perhaps five to 10. The ones used in concerts tend to have more strings. Listen for a bell-like sound. It is not that difficult to learn to play kantele if you’re so inclined, and instrument is also quite useful as a decoration and a sure-fire conversation starter.

A good selection of kanteles can be found at the OKRA Arts, Crafts & Design Gallery at Unioninkatu 26.

What to buy here: Kantele.