Cumbia / Rough guide

Description

Cumbia, a tropical music (and dance) style originating on the Colombian coast, is universally loved. It is characterized by a syncopated 4/4 rhythm, alternating soloist/chorus parts that the crowd can join in on, and a simple, repetitive percussion rhythm underpinned by maracas or the rough sound of the guacharaca. Cumbia's rhythms, instrumentation, and melodies integrate the three peoples – African, European, Indigenous American – that make up Colombia's heritage. It is thus said that cumbia developed from the percussion rhythms and traditional Guinean and Yoruba dances brought by enslaved Africans. In turn, these enslaved people were exposed to European and indigenous elements during the colonial period. Originally, the dances were used to commemorate rites of passage or courtship. They were performed in groups at night: women held lit bundles of sticks or candles, for light but also to symbolize the "flame of passionate love" burning between the enslaved people and the Indigenous population. This interpretation is not certain, but it can, on the other hand, be demonstrated that the term cumbia (perhaps derived from the African word cumbé) only became widespread at the end of the 19th century.