Music & Rituals
As a person who was born and raised in Colombia, whenever I have the opportunity to share a little about my culture I choose to do so. That is why I have decided to make this blog about rituals that take place in Colombia and the music that is used to accompany those rituals.
First of all let me tell you a little bit about Colombia.
Colombia is a country located in South America where the main language is Spanish. The capital of Colombia is Bogota, where a large part of the population is located. However, in the interior cordilleras you can find indigenous groups that still survive and continue to struggle to maintain their roots, their culture and their traditions. Colombia's population is mostly mestizo but European and African minorities can also be found. Which makes Colombia a very diverse country with a lot of musical and cultural diversity as well.
Based on this ethnic diversity, in Colombia there are many rituals that come from different ethnic groups and others that are a fusion of different traditions. And I'm going to show you two that are really important and that are celebrated every year in my country.
1. El Carnaval de Barranquilla (Barranquilla Carnival)
This is one of the most important festivals in Colombia and consists of a celebration that takes place for several days in the Caribbean Region. During those days, the streets of Barranquilla are filled with dances and musical expressions that show a blend of different traditions. Groups of dancers, actors and singers make theatrical and musical performances based on historical events, to celebrate and also to teach a little bit about their culture to people coming from different countries. This event is so big and so important in Colombia that it became an Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
2. El Carnaval de Blancos y Negros (Blacks and White's Carnival)
Blacks and White's Carnival is one of the oldest festivals of Colombia and the largest Carnival in the south of Colombia. It is usually celebrated during the first week of January in Pasto, Nariño. It is a Colombian Andean and pre-hispanic tradition and consists of a cultural exhibition of the different races that can be found in South America. In this celebration people paint their faces black and white to represent the ethnic and cultural differences that exist in this region of the country. The origin of this festival was during the Spanish rule, where slaves were allowed to celebrate their festivities by painting their faces.
Blacks and White's Carnival is one of the oldest festivals of Colombia and the largest Carnival in the south of Colombia. It is usually celebrated during the first week of January in Pasto, Nariño. It is a Colombian Andean and pre-hispanic tradition and consists of a cultural exhibition of the different races that can be found in South America. In this celebration people paint their faces black and white to represent the ethnic and cultural differences that exist in this region of the country. The origin of this festival was during the Spanish rule, where slaves were allowed to celebrate their festivities by painting their faces.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Colombia
- https://colombia.travel/es/blog/descubre-las-tradiciones-de-colombia-mas-importantes
- -que-debes-conohttps://www.uncovercolombia.com/blog/famous-festivals-in-colombia/
- https://www.uncovercolombia.com/blog/famous-festivals-in-colombia/
Maria, it is fascinating to know you were born and raised in Colombia! It is interesting to know diverse Columbian culture is. The El Carnaval de Barranquilla looks extremely fun and i would love to participate one day! It is so cool that during the El Carnaval de Blancos y Negros people paint their faces to represent their ethnic and cultural differences.
ReplyDeletei was shocked at a trail of 15km. I definitely cheated and converted it but 9 miles is crazy long i would love to experience part of it!
ReplyDeleteI love how both festivals celebrate and appreciate different traditions + cultures! They both seem quite lovely, too - especially the Barranquilla Carnival one. The costumes, dancing, and music all seem so nice.
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