Cumbia

Variations of the Cumbia

Traditional Mexican

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcLSK9m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7iSf45D
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Origin of Cumbia Dance
● The origin of Cumbia comes from the country of Columbia slavery in the late 17th century. It brings together three
cultures. African, Indigenous and European.
● Cumbia was born of a cultural mix of African and indigenous backgrounds.
● Cumbia is popular in all Central American states. from Mexico in the north to Argentina in the south.
● Cumbia is danced by men and women dressed in white.
● The women wore the long, multi-layered traditional skirts and the men wearing white pants folded up and a red scarf
around their necks.
● The men danced with one hand on his back and the other holding his traditional hat, putting it on and off. Cumbia
was danced barefoot at night near the ocean, and many of its moves reflect the motions of the work the fishermen
and farmers who danced it
Movement of the Dance
● The movement of cumbia is very fast and stays in a fast high leveled speed and that is a way that it’s different from others.
● Cumbia really should be danced at night, with couples dancing in a circle around seated musicians.
● The woman makes shuffling steps while the man moves in a sort of zig-zag around her.
Instruments
● The instrument used are flutes, Maracas and African drums. As the music evolved, bands began to use the guitar,
clave, accordion, bass guitar and various electronic musical instruments.
● The Cumbia dance style has come a long way from the days of its origin to the modern times. This dance form initially
began as a dance of courtship and had young couples tapping their feet to the beat of the drums. The couples form a
circle and each pair moves to the center of the circle, in turns.
● At night, women hold bundles of candles wrapped in colored handkerchiefs in their right hands. Nowadays traditional
cumbia is only really performed at carnivals and candles are not used during the day, but the handkerchiefs are still
used.
● The woman waves her long skirt and the man hands over to her the candle he had been carrying. The Cumbia dance
steps follow the rhythm of the beats, which is 4/4. The man dances along, occasionally waving his sombrero hat in
the air, trying to win over the woman.
● Today, this dance is also performed by groups of women.
Oppression
● Native, Cartagena
● Other countrie
● Slaves coming from Africa
Discrimination
● Immigrants
● Origins
● Slaves
 Influences in American culture
● Zumba
● Selena
● Festivals/ Carnaval
Contribution to the American Culture
● The 21st century technology increased the speed of human interaction the mutations and premeations of cumia
already adept at spreading its infectious beats and have increased its cultural presence which has been felt in
mainstream publications in the United States with its large Hispanic population.
● Columbia has been influenced by centuries of migration and colonisations.
● Cumbia is the most melodic representation expressions of Colombia.
● It brings three cultures together African,Indigenous and European
● Today cumbia is one of the most popular and widespread genres in Latin America.
● It’s roots are in Colombia
● Cumbia is a blend of music and cultural traditions
● Cumbia was popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s
it has evolved and changed through time

(By: Khadija Noor)

 Traditions of the Cultural dance
The rich culture has shades of Italian,Spanish, Caribbean and African influences.
It all began with the African slaves who were brought by the spanish to the caribbean coast.
These people made the most of the occasional opportunities to celebrate and embrace their traditions and express
themselves within their cultural backgrounds.
Cumbia is a flavor of celebration for the colombian people. It’s a dance of life that is an expression of joy over sorrow tha
has developed for hundreds of years.
These traditions reflect the distinctive mixtures of indigenous(Amerindian) African and European influences that have
shifted throughout the region over time.
The origin of Cumbia music comes from the days of slavery in the late 17th century and it is deprived from the African
word cumbe which means dance. It was deprived later in the Antioquia region of Colombia called caracumbe and was
coined by African slaves who worked in the mines.

(By: Khadija Noor)

 What has been lost in the process of Cumbia
Cumbia and other styles of dance belong to the Coastal Caribbean Islands and the music is a classic instantiation of
black inspirations, the tradition with time has been turning “white” it has been attacked but in the past it was
practiced independently by Blacks and Latin people. Nevertheless it converts into a form that is more and more
acceptable to the extent that it extends through the non-black world losing its Africanism and its principal association
with Black people. Cumbia is a good overview from several different generation perspectives that includes a wide
variety of Instruments. Due to the diversity in Latin America,
Colombian cumbia has undergone changes as it has been
mixed with the regional music styles of several countries.

(By: Khadija Noor)

The Acculturation of the Cumbia
● A mixture of European, African, and Indigenous flavors

● Originates from the North-Eastern Part of Columbia

● Was created by African Slaves as a courtship dance

● Rejected by most Colombians

● Through the efforts of musicians, it has become popular in Colombia

Instruments Gaita Hembra

Tambora
Current Day Oppression
● Immigration Policies
● Rhetoric in Washington DC
● Access to healthcare
● Access to law enforcement
Colombian Values
● Culture

● Religion

● Family

● Traditions

● Hard work

● Dedication
Sources
1. “Cumbia | The Rhythm of Colombia.” Discover Colombia RSS, discovercolombia.com/cumbia-the-rhythm-of-colombia/.
2. Sturner, Pamela. “Colombian Americans.” Countries and Their Cultures, www.everyculture.com/multi/Bu-Dr/Colombian-Americans.html.
3. Slater, Russ. “In a Nutshell: Cumbia.” Sounds and Colours, 20 Aug. 2014,
soundsandcolours.com/articles/colombia/in-a-nutshell-cumbia-516/.
Sources cont.
http://cumbiaexhibition.blogspot.com/2008/09/history.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cumbia

http://soundsandcolours.com/columns/street-sounds/the-story-inside-the-rhy
thm-cumbia-18391
Eduljee, Ed. “Introduction.” Introduction to Cumbia Dancing, www.heritageinstitute.com/danceinfo/descriptions/cumbia.htm.

“Dance.” Cumbia Connect, cumbiaexhibition.blogspot.com/2008/09/dance.html.