42 The Powerful Trajectory of Colombo-Venezuelan Folkloric Music – Nathay Duque

The Powerful Trajectory of Colombo-Venezuelan Folkloric Music

Abstract:

The purpose of this research paper is to address the question of power given to the folkloric music of the Colombo-Venezuelan Andean region allowing it to be used as resistance music to translate empowerment to the nations. Throughout this essay, we will contextualize the cultural importance and relevance of the specific genres found in this region and how they correlate to the means of utilizing it as resistance music regarding the social justice issues both Colombia and Venezuela faced during the colonial and postcolonial eras, dating from the 1800s to late 1900s, and in some instances continuing through today.

Joropo Llanero traditional of the Venezuelan Andean region:

Joropo is the most common folkloric genre in Venezuela. It originated in the colonization era during which the indigenous tribes inhabiting la sabana (known as savannah in English), an enormous flat tropical grassland located within the Colombo-Venezuelan Andean region, were first introduced to musical instruments of Spanish descent, among them the predecessors of el cuatro, a four-string instrument replicating a guitar, and the harpa known as harp. El cuatro and harpa were used not only as instruments for entertainment but also as instruments for churches and religious acts and gatherings. They became the most accessible and common instruments of this time (Lengwinat, 2015). The use of both el cuatro and harpa within the religious cults during the colonial era allowed for the llaneros, an identity primarily used then to describe the people of the sabana, to develop the musical skills later on used to create the folkloric music still present today.

During the 18th century with the rapid trend of indigenous slaves escaping to freedom, black slaves became the most common labor source used in the Sabana. During this period the characteristics and ideologies that shape the Llanero identity began to spread around the region, which represented the contradiction and opposition to the colonial order. The current tension between the llaneros and Spanish colonials allowed for an emotional connection and bond between the indigenous slaves, black slaves, and the llaneros. As bishop Martí (1771-84) suggests these connections led to rebellious gatherings being masked as religious celebrations. The llaneros would host these gatherings with the rhythm of “Fandango” in the beginning of the 19th century. Fandango, primarily known as a dance of Spanish descent, was used to describe the types of “provocative” dances in these religious celebrations later on referred to as Joropo at the end of the century, to promote a sense of division and separation from the Spanish colonial order. Priests and other religious leaders would monitor and patrol these celebrations to minimize the rebellious gatherings and oppress the use of liberation ideas. Simultaneously around this time, the creole aristocracy established in the sabana to negotiate and profit from the skin, leather, and cattle business (Lengwinat, 2015).

Consequently, the appropriation of land and the removal of its natural inhabitants further increased the tension and altercations fomented by the llaneros continuing into the postcolonial era. During the late 19th century after the second wave of vandalism and looting against the llaneros, joropo became a way to emphasize the violence and homicides of llaneros, or cantantes, known as musicians who would participate in the fandangos or festivities. One example is the popular legend of Kirpa, a llanero taking his cattle from the llanos of Caracas, capital of Venezuela, passing through San Sebastián and Güiripa. Joropo singer José Vicente Rojas sings about the murder of Kirpa, another famously known joropo singer of the region.

Ponele cuidado mi camarita (Be careful my comrade)

A este corrido que le sacaron al cámara Kirpa (Of that play they put on my comarade Kirpa)

La vez esa que lo mataron malamente (That one time they killed him with malice)

Por ahi donde llaman Güiripa (Over there where they call Güiripa)

Por envidia (Because of envy)

Porque ahí le tenían mala voluntad a nosotros los llaneros… (For they had bad intentions for us llaneros…)

It is because of lyrics like singer Rojas, Joropo became a staple of the llanero identity and a symbol of resistance and opposition to the violence directed towards llaneros. Stories and legends like Kirpa have been used not only to communicate the events of oppression and violence but to translate opposition, to empower and encourage the llanero community to fight back against the social rejection and environmental appropriation during the colonial and postcolonial eras, through the use of folkloric instruments of Spanish descent (i.e., cuatro, harpa).

Accordion music and Vallenato traditional of the Colombian Caribbean and Andean region:

Accordion, considered a popular genre throughout Colombia, similar to Joropo, became folkloric during the colonial era as the Spanish colonial transported musical instruments to their colonies, in order to assimilate the natives into their costumes and beliefs, making acordeón (accordion) an accessible instrument throughout the region (Quiroz, 1983). Accordion music later became a way to spread the social issues of smuggling and contraband around the Caribbean/Andean border with Venezuela. Especially in La Guajira, a Colombian subpart of the Andean and Caribbean region, has been the main scene for contraband throughout the decades. An elicit business during the colonial times, raging from the trafficking of slaves, cattle, agricultural products, and pearls, to the recent commercialization of illegal liquors, cigarettes, and hallucinogens (Castillo Castro, 2008). The upper class of affluent families, caciques (local political leaders), and gamonales (large landowners) profited and enriched themselves in the 1870s and 80s through the activities described above.

Acordeón music illustrates the illicit business through vallento verses, an antecedent of this negative social phenomena. Rafael Escalona, vallenato singer under the acordeón discography, is one of the most noticeable advocates of using vallenato as resistance music in ways to memorialize and spread the illicit business found in La Guajira. Specifics can be found in the verses of his song “El Almirante Padillas” popularly known as “El Tite Socarrás.” In which Escalona (2016) illustrates governmental corruption and hypocrisy exposing its involvement with the illegal trafficking of goods. He does so by storytelling the adventures of Socarrás, a contrabandist on the peninsula of La Guajira dealing on the Port López seized by his superior “Padilla,” bringing him depression and distress.

Alla en la Guajira arriba, (Up there on La Guajira)

Donde nace el contrbando, (Where contraband is born)

El admirante Padilla barrio a Puerto López, (Admiral Padilla swept the Port López)

y lo dejó arruinado, (And left it ruined)

Pobre Tite, pobre Tite, Pobre Tite Socarrás, (Poor Tite, poor Tite, poor Tite Socarrás)

Hombre que ahora está muy triste, (Man who is now so sad)

Lo ha persido todo por contrabandear… (Lost everything to contraband)

It is revealed later on in the song Tite Socarrás, being well recognized in the region, controlled by political relationships, decides to request aid from Enrique Orozco, a conservative political leader from La Guajira, in order to persuade former president Laureano Gómez, to retrieve Socarrás’ contraband, but failing during the process.

Enriquito se creía  que su papá Laureano, (Little Enrique believed his daddy Laureano…)

Muchas cosas conseguía, (Many things could get)

Se fue pa’ Bogotá, pero todo fue en vano (He went to Bogotá, but everything was in vain)

¿Y ahora pa’ dónde irá, (And now where will he go)

A ganarse la vida el Tite Socarrás? (to earn a living, Tite Socarrás?)

¿Y ahora pa’dónde irá (And now where will he go)

A ganarse la vida sin contrabandear? (To earn a living without trafficking?)

Through “El Tite Socarrás” we can see how singers and composers rely on accordion music to spread the unspoken and underreported stories with the purpose of rebelling against the social injustices of a broken political system that allowed the upper class (affluent families, caciques, gamonales) to profit and enrich themselves from the existence and violence of this elicit business. Vallenato singers have proclaimed the accordion music as a way to empower these unreported stories and to influence the people to resist, to fight against the system that disadvantaged them. Vallenato has also been an incredible genre of resistance music as it has become widely popular within the lower class of the Venezuelan border, further fomenting the rebellion and resistance against the social injustice present at the Colombian/Venezuelan border (Quiroz, 1983).

Bambuco folkloric to the Colombian region:

Bambuco lacks a linear origin like Joropo, or Vallenato. To unravel its origin, it is essential to analyze it through the lenses of musical appreciation to understand its musical composition. Since its musical composition follows a 6/8 tempo in the correct rhythm, it begins in anticipation of the beat also known as upbeat, meaning the melody starts on the weakest second beat of the tempo. This brief explanation of its composition is significant because it provides a hint to understand the background and the sense of other musical genres that contain these characteristics. For example, a very similar feature can be found in a genre called Zortzico origin of the Basque people, located on the border between France and Spain. This is linked to battle songs during the 18th and 19th centuries in the Spanish armies. But this is not the only hypothesis of the Bambuco origin as Muñoz (2001) affirms the origins of this genre can be found in the Cauca, showing its genesis as a music born within the black populations of this area which could have been brought during the slave trade to Colombia under the Spanish order, becoming traditional to the nation after its independence in 1819. This could explain the connection of Bambuco with the lower class of Colombia, mostly the indigenous and black populations, and how it is used mainly to address the systemic unconformities of indigenous, black, and farmers with the Colombian government.

Accordingly, there has been a constant movement regarding the use of Bambuco to portray lyrics signifying resistance and in some cases even hope. One artist that has used Bambuco to address a modern issue in Colombia has been singer and writer Gustavo Adolfo Rengifo from Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Gustavo’s most famous song “Entre las llamas de Colombia” (Within the tears of Colombia) portrays the violence against peaceful protesters fighting against the multiple social injustices Colombia is facing. Some of them being the constant lack of governmental action regarding the disappearance of children, especially of the lower class, and the appropriation of farmers’ lands and consequently their killings.

Mis verdes campesinos, (My green farmer)

Abaleados, (Shot)

Caen comos los dias de la semana… (Fall like the days of the week…)

Mi patria come cárcel, (My nation eats jail)

Come plomo, (It eats lead [bullet])

Le dan de almuerzo golpes de sotana. (It feeds [the people] cassock punches [No separation of church and state referring to the violence the Christian church have implemented towards the people])

Through this song Gustavo has been able to empower the Colombian people especially those who have experienced the violence in the protests and have been affected by these social injustices and to encourage the resistance and rebellion these people have to endure for a hopeful future.

Discussion/Reflection:

I wanted to do a special reflection regarding the personal meaning and importance of this assignment. While analyzing the historical context of this region, the coercion and tyranny against the people are constantly portrayed. It is the lack of power within an oppressed group that allowed for these folkloric genres to become resistance music, it is the hunger for justice and the deep sorrow that empowered these songs. The historical weight Joropo, Accordion music/Vallenato, and Bambuco hold contributed to making these genres appropriate to represent the oppressed group as it is deeply rooted within our culture. As someone who grew up listening to some of these genres and has experienced in one way or another the atrocious injustices seen in Colombia and Venezuela, it was a true revelation to see the history and relevance of this music, and how these genres have influenced the way my people have navigated their way through injustices and oppression. As an immigrant coming to a different country to learn about your own culture can be tricky but when done right it is highly rewarding. Thank you to Dr. Aaron for giving me the opportunity to appreciate my culture beyond anything I could ever imagine.

References:

Castillo Castro, H. (2008). “Accordion Music, Border and Smuggling Goods in the Guajira Region, 1960-1980” [Undergraduate’s thesis, Universidad de Cartagena]. elsaaponte,+Música+de+acordeón.PDF (1).pdf

Fernando González. (2012, September 3). FG  La Leyenda de Kirpa – del Poeta José Vicente Rojas [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFFZDLu7TyM

Grupo Nueva Cultura. (2021, June 19). Entre las llamas de Colombia – Grupo Nueva Cultura [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfRhN6IJXrs

Lengwinat, K. (2015). Joropo llanero tradicional en Venezuela. Musicaenclave  9(1), 1. Joropollanero tradicional en Venezuela – Dialnet (unirioja.es)

Martí, Mariano (1771-84). Documentos relativos a su visita Pastoral de la Diócesis de Caracas y Venezuela. Academia Nacional de Historia, Caracas 1969

Quiroz Otero, Ciro. (1983). Vallenato, hombre y canto. Bogota:Icaro Editores

Rodolfo Badel Troncoso. (2016, March 1). EL ALMIRANTE PADILLA (EL TITE SOCARRÁS) / Rafael Escalona [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aScEY7h13M

Romero, M. (2019). El bambuco como medio para la formación del pensamiento crítico y la comprensión de las formas de resistencias desde la música [Undergraduate’s tesis, Universidad Pedagógica Nacional] FOR02GIB. http://repository.pedagogica.edu.co/bitstream/handle/20.500.12209/11612/TE-23819.pdf