haitareita

Haitareita is a Finnish term that can refer to several things, most commonly a type of accordion. Specifically, it often denotes the diatonic button accordion, which is a free-reed instrument played by pushing buttons to produce notes. These instruments are typically equipped with two keyboards on the right hand side for melody playing and a bass keyboard on the left side for chords and bass notes. The sound is produced by air being pushed and pulled through reeds by a bellows. Haitareita are popular in Finnish folk music, particularly in traditional dance music and polkas.

Beyond the musical instrument, the word haitareita is also the plural form of "haitari" in Finnish, which can mean "accordion" or "bellows" in a more general sense. Therefore, context is crucial when encountering the term. It could be referring to one or multiple accordions, or even just the bellows mechanism of such an instrument. The instrument itself has a long history and has been adapted into many musical genres worldwide, with the Finnish iteration being a significant part of the country's musical heritage.