Colombian Folk Music

With its verdant tropical rain forests, snow-capped mountain ranges, crystalline beaches, and deeply green valleys, the beauty of Colombia is perhaps only surpassed by the many music styles that energize the country's people. The array of music styles found in Colombia is one of the more straightforward examples of the multicultural background of most Latin American countries.

Colombia can be divided into five distinct regions: the Atlantic/Caribbean coast, the Pacific coast, the Andes, Los Llanos ("the plains"), and the Amazon. Within the varied terrain, each region has distinct folk music traditions that reflect the individual history there. In spite of this regionalism, a connected history binds each through common roots.

Colombian Music Roots Three cultural strands-Spanish, West African, and Native American-together comprise the roots of Colombian culture and music. Large populations of Native Americans occupied the region of present-day Colombia before the arrival of the Europeans. Today there remain substantial numbers of Native Americans who have retained their languages and cultures despite the European incursion. In the Amazonian region and in the coastal strip along the Caribbean, many native peoples maintain distinct music traditions. In addition, the indigenous cultures made considerable contributions to Colombian folk music, more so than in many other Latin American countries. Instruments, such as the gaita flute, the maracas, and bamboo tube shakers called guaches, as well as the flute and drum ensemble called chirimías, are direct descendents of indigenous music traditions.

Even more than their language, settlers from Spain contributed greatly to the culture and folk music of Colombia. The Spanish heritage is most evident in the culture of mestizos, people of mixed Spanish and indigenous, descent who make up the majority of the population. Folk styles like cumbia and vallenato, dances like the joropo and the Andean pasodoble, and the ensembles like the porros brass band of northern Colombia are just a few examples. Décimas, a poetic form from Spain, are still performed in many parts of Latin America. In Colombia, the décima is similar to free-style rap in the United States. Semi-improvised duels between singers take place over a repeating rhythm and standard melody.

The region along the Pacific coast is the heart of Afro-Colombian culture. During the colonial era, tens of thousands of Africans, mainly from Mali, were brought to the region to work in the gold mines. Their ancestors still inhabit this area and their music shows the remnants of the African influence even today. The style of music called currulao exemplifies this connection, with highly syncopated rhythms and instruments like the marimba and drums performing interlocking patterns like those found in West Africa. The marimba is thought to derive from the balafon of West Africa because the construction is very similar, including the resonators found under the wooden keys.

Cumbia and Vallenato

In many ways, cumbia and vallenato are the national music styles of Colombia. Cumbia, with its off-beat rhythm and syncopated melody has become popular outside the country, particularly in Mexico. Traditional cumbia ensembles were percussion and vocals only, with drums performing calls back and forth accompanied by the marimbula, a large, low box version of the finger piano. Contemporary groups include horns, keyboards, and guitars, and both men and women are singers.

Vallenato originated on the Caribbean coast, and unlike the percussively driven cumbia, it features a single drum and a scaper. However, the signature instrument of vallenato is the accordion, the player of which is generally the bandleader and singer. Contemporary vallenato adds an electric bass, which plays a free, almost-melodic line under the music.

Of course, there are many more styles of music popular in Colombia. Salsa, imported from Puerto Rico and New York where it originated, has taken over the airwaves and performance spaces, particularly in the city of Cali. The Colombian merengue (not to be confused with the Dominican merengue) is also incredibly popular, and has recently spawned a form called merecumbe, a combination of cumbia and merengue.

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