Marimba music and traditional chants from Colombia's South Pacific region

UNESCO: Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - 2010
URL: www.unesco.org/...
Description: Marimba music and traditional chants of Colombia's South Pacific region are the heritage of Afro-Colombian groups in the departments of Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño. Chanting by women and men ''(cantadoras'' and ''chureadores)'' blends with acoustic instruments, handcrafted using local materials: palm-wood Marimbas, wooden and leather bass and hand drums, and bamboo and seed rattles. This music is performed principally during four rituals: ''Arrullo, Currulao, Chigualo'' and ''Alabao.'' ''Arrullo'' is a saint worship ritual led by women, who prepare the saints, candles and altars and perform chants accompanied by drums and, on occasion, Marimbas. The ''Currulao'' (or Marimba Dance) is a festive occasion. Men play the Marimba and perform profane chants while people sing, dance, eat and drink, and recount stories. The ''Chigualo'' is a wake following the death of a young child. The body is covered with flowers and a cappella chants are performed around it. The ''Alabao'' is a wake following the death of an adult, where extremely sad chants are sung, also a cappella. Musical knowledge of these traditions is passed on orally from generation to generation with younger performers guided by more experienced musicians. With a large proportion of the Afro-Colombian population of the region having moved to urban areas in recent decades, their musical heritage remains an important source of community identity, whether in their home villages or in town.
Country(ies): Colombia
©Ministerio de Cultura Republica de Colombia
Duration: 00:09:33 - Support: DVD (0043600004)