MUSIC OF THE AMAZON REGION OF COLOMBIA: CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The music of the Amazon region of Colombia is composed of a range of mixed sounds, influenced both by the indigenous presence and by the proximity of the border with Peru and Brazil.

The Colombian Amazon region is a large natural extension that is part of an area popularly known as "Three Borders", where the border limits of Colombia, Peru and Brazil coincide.

Snails

Thus, the music of the region not only has a pre-Hispanic and ethnic historical charge, but also has a multicultural charge derived from the features and folklore of the three border countries that converge in the Amazon.

The sounds of the region are influenced by the pre-Hispanic and colonial past and the cultural components of its inhabitants.

But the charm of Amazonian music lies in its individuality and peculiarity, as well as in the use of traditional instruments made with natural elements.

The 3 most outstanding musical manifestations of the Amazon region of Colombia

Among the different musical manifestations are indigenous music, national music (such as bambucos, joropos and passages) and music from the meeting of the three borders.

1- Indigenous music

Indigenous music is made up of songs and tunes, with simple and repetitive melodic patterns.

They usually seek spiritual reunion, evoking cosmic-spiritual content.

The richness of the characteristic sounds is given by the use of native musical instruments, handcrafted with materials from the Amazon.

Onomatopoeic voices that imitate animal sounds and other sounds of the jungle are also characteristic.

The most important musical instrument is the flute, although other wind instruments are also used, such as reed trumpets, capadores, and the jurupari (yuruparí or yuruparý) ceremonial trumpet.

They also use a horn, ocarina or clay whistle, and little snails or horns. Another outstanding instrument is the fotuto or snail trumpet, with horns or horns.

In the same way, they use percussion instruments such as the manguaré, drums, bells and indigenous ceramic or wood rattles, known as maracas.

Generally, the musical rhythms are accompanied by dances, in ceremonial rituals, festivals and typical festivals of the Colombian Amazonian territory.

2- National music

Various forms of national music arrive and are mixed throughout the Colombian Amazon region, manifesting with local proposals of peasant and Andean expressions.

Currently it is common to hear regional versions of pasajes, joropos, bambucos and corridors, among others.

As part of the river sovereignty efforts, Colombian coastal sailors have arrived who have introduced happy and Caribbean rhythms, such as cumbias, merengues, calipsos and porros.

3- Border music

In the Amazon region of Colombia, various musical expressions derived from border cultural exchange converge with a greater presence in some communities than others.

Amazonian life comes from very particular social and historical processes, which combine features from different aspects. This contributes to the provision of a new mixed musical identity.

The forms of foreign sounds that come from Peru are composed of mixtianas, waltzes, marineras and huaynos.

From Brazil descend the marches, sambas, forrós, baioes, xotes (chotises), dobrados and batuques.

These rhythms employ percussion musical instruments such as drums and congas. They also use guitars, basses, and marimbas.

References

1. Andrés Muñoz-Jaramillo. (2003). A SMALL TRIP THROUGH COLOMBIAN MUSIC. The Amazon Rain Forest. Retrieved November 20, 2017 from: solar.physics.montana.edu
2. Wikipedia contributors. (2017). THREE BORDERS. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from: es.wikipedia.org
3. Colombia info. (s / f) FOLKLOR AND TRADITIONS. The Amazon region. Colombia.com digital portal. Interlatin Corporation. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from: colombia.com
4. Luis Antonio Escobar. (1985). THE PRE-COLOMBIAN MUSIC. Virtual Library "Luis Ángel Arango". Cultural Activity of the Bank of the Republic. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from: banrepcultural.org
5. National System of Cultural Information. (s / f). RHYTHMS. Cultural Colombia. SINIC: National System of Cultural Information. Culture Ministry. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from: sinic.gov.co