The different types of sailor are influenced by the characteristics of each region. The marinera is a dance that portrays the courtship between a lady and a gentleman, and is considered the national dance of Peru.
The woman wears an embroidered pollera (skirt) and scarf, taunting the man with her graceful movements. This is accompanied by guitars, cajones (percussion instrument of Peruvian origin) and other musical instruments.
Marinera from the North of Peru
This dance owes its origin to the zamacueca, a choreographed dance that became popular in the Andean region in the mid-1800s. The Chilean version was the most popular form in Peru between 1860 and 1870.
After the War of the Pacific, Peruvians did not want their national dance to be named after their enemy, and they renamed it the Marinera, honoring their sailors who had died in the war.
Main types of sailor
Limeña
The Lima marinera can be a competition (counterpoint) between singers, known as canto jarana or simply jarana. There is also the case of a performance by a simple sailor with song and / or dance, without there being any kind of competition.
Unlike the marineras of other regions, the Lima marinera follows strict rules of performance in dancing and singing.
The essential accompaniment consists of two guitars, a cajon and the clapping. The poetic structure consists of three stanzas, also called jaranas.
Each of these must comply with the established poetic and musical structures.
Northern
The northern marinera originated in the coastal city of Trujillo in northern Peru. It is much faster than the Lima, and similar in choreography and music to the tondero, which is another norteño dance.
While the limeña goes from the slippery (moved and syncopated) to the fugue (more peaceful), the slippery in the northern marinera turns into a landslide. The latter is fast paced at 6 x 8.
As for the dance, the flirtations are much more pronounced. The ladies dance barefoot. It is also accompanied by a music band.
Serrana
One of the distinctive characteristics of the sailor in the different regions is the costumes. In the case of the serrana, the woman wears a white nightgown and her dress is wide and made of silk.
He also wears a woolen shawl, a straw hat, medium-height shoes and the traditional scarf. The man wears denim pants, a white shirt, and a wool poncho. A hat and scarf complete this outfit.
Musically, this typical mountain sailor is played with a minor key and with a slow movement. Like the coast, it is repeated. The highlight of this variety is its huayno auction, which is another musical genre.
These genera have gradually merged in the Andean region, producing various combinations.
The most famous of these is the marinera con fugue huayno, which contrasts with the main piece played at a faster tempo.
References
- Tompkins, WD (2007). Afroperuvian traditions. In D. Olsen, and D Sheehy (Editors), The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music, pp. 474-487. New York: Routledge.
- Marinera Dance (2015). Smithonian Folklife Festival. Recovered from festival.si.edu.
- Herrera-Sobek, M. (2012). Celebrating Latino Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions, Volume 1. California: ABC-CLIO.
- Leymarie, I. (2015). From tango to reggae. Black music from Latin America and the Caribbean. Zaragoza: Presses of the University of Zaragoza.
- Beltrán, Y. (2014, January 7). How are the costumes for Marinera Norteña, Limeña and Serrana? Recovered from netjoven.pe.
- Mello C. (2010). The Latin Guitar Handbook. Missouri: Mel Bay Publications.
- Mendoza, ZS (2000). Shaping Society through Dance: Mestizo Ritual Performance in the Peruvian Andes, Volume 1. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.