A Brief Guide to South American Folk (Pt. 2)
After starting in Ecuador and Colombia, we continue our journey down the world’s longest mountain range.
Read Part One here.
Over the past 12 months I’ve been researching South American folk traditions, which culminated in a trip to Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina at the end of last year. In the English-speaking world, most of us are familiar with tango, cumbia and salsa, but I’d like to invite you to go a little deeper.
I’ve compiled all my favourite South American music into a mega playlist linked at the end of the article for your listening enjoyment. Is there a disproportionate amount of Kala Marka and Los Kjarkas in there? Yes. Did I try cutting it down? Also, yes. Did I fail? Clearly. Yes, this playlist is quite a bit longer than my usual WAT playlist, but trust me, this is all killer, no filler. The link is at the end of the article.
Huayno
The rural folk music and dance huayno (also spelled wayno) comes from the autochthonous Quechua and Aymara cultures. They live along the Andean range, but is especially prevalent in Peru. Huayno melodies are rhythmic and pentatonic, and the music is written in 2/4 time. Most emblematic of Huayno rhythms are the traditional Andean songs Naranjitay (this instrumental version by charango performer Jaime Torres is my favourite; other versions include lyrics written in Quechua) and Valicha (watch a performance here). More recently, popular huayno divas such as Rosita de Espinar, Muñequita Milly, and Elisabeth ‘Florelisa’ Flores replace traditional panpipes and mandolins with keyboard synths (video here).
Start here: For a crash course in the roots of huayno, listen to the collection Huaynos del Oro Vol. I–III. See also: José Corrales, Eusebio Grados, Muñequita Milly, and Víctor Alberto Gil Mallma AKA “Picaflor de los Andes”.
Tobas
If you go to Oruro, Bolivia, in February, don’t miss the Oruro Carnival, an event recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It’s a multi-day event of music, parades and dancing; among the festivities you will likely see the tobas. The tobas is an acrobatic dance that expresses the indigenous warrior spirit, where performers leap and spin, mimicking throwing their spears. The music is energetic with a steady war-like beat, and performed on instruments such as the bombos (large Andean drums), panpipes, and guitar.
Start here: Proyección, Kala Marka (Jaguar being one of their most well-known tobas tracks), Grupo Femenino Bolivia
Huaylarsh
At 3,250 metres above sea level, the city of Huancayo is one of Peru’s highest cities. Recognised by UNESCO for its extraordinarily rich musical cultures, such as chicha, huayno, and – specific to this region – huaylarsh, the music scene continues to thrive. Huaylarsh (also spelled walarsh or huaylars) was originally an agricultural dance to celebrate the potato harvest, featuring fast-paced footwork (zapateo), jumping, and brightly coloured costumes. Huaylarsh comes from the Quechua word meaning festival or celebration. How to tell the difference from the very similar-sounding huayno? Expect to hear violin, guitar, and saxophone in huaylarsh, as well as more acrobatic moves in the dances.
Start here: Surandino’s rendition of Huaylarsh para el Mundo (a nearly ten-minute epic of saxophones and violins), Yolanda de Carhuamayo (the album 100% Huaylarsh Techno – yes, I also did a double take, but thankfully there are no Basswell remixes in there).
Tinku
Every year on the first weekend of May, inhabitants in the Potosí region of Bolivia come together for a violent ritual: the tinku. Tinku means “encounter” in Quechua, or more bluntly in Aymara, it translates as “attack.” Wielding whips or slingshots, people gather in Andean sacred spaces, whether it be a certain hill, next to a large strangely shaped rock, or any area with a certain mystical aura (a concept referred to as wak’a/huaca in Quechua). Debts are settled and forgiveness granted, all through this violent encounter. The blood shed is seen as an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth). Although the use of rocks and whips in fighting is now banned, the festival still takes place in parts of Bolivia and Peru. Tinku music is characterised by martial rhythms on the jula julas (a large set of Andean panpipes), percussion, and the charango.
Start here: Savia Andina, Los Kjarkas and Kala Marka
Saya
The saya originates from the Afro-Bolivian community in the Yungas, a tropical jungle on the eastern slopes of the Andes. The saya is a percussive music and dance introduced by the African slaves brought over in the 16th century by European colonisers to work in the silver mines of Potosí. Central to the music is the scratching sound of the cuancha or riki riki (reque reque), a percussive instrument made from bamboo, which grows in the Yungas. It features call-and-response patterns between a leader and the chorus, and the dancers wear bells on their feet.
Start here: Sayanta, Yareta
Tarkeada
Also spelled tarqueada, this music takes its name from the wooden flutes known as tarkas or tarqas. While the exact origins of the music are unclear, the general consensus is that it comes from the Aymara people, with performances at carnivals in Bolivia, Peru, northern Argentina, and Chile all being reported. While the tarka takes centre stage, it is accompanied by the pinkillus (large flutes), bombos, snares, and brass instruments. The tarkeada is a rain and fertility dance, and the sound of the tarka flute was once believed to be so powerful that playing was forbidden once the carnival was over, lest it awaken the ancestors.
Start here: Llajtaymanta (their track Juventud Mallkus is a great example of tarkeada)
Sources and Further Reading
El huayno, apuntes sobre su rítmica (Rolando Carrasco Segovia, 2017)
Repensando el espectáculo y consumo indígena: el huayno comercial en el Perú (James Butterworth, 2015)
El llamado de la lluvia: La tarqueada en arica como experiencia y performance sonora, Boletín del Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Andrea Chamorro, 2018)
With special thanks to Magdalena of the Llachon community, Christian R. and Victor in Peru, and Pablo in Bolivia for their insider tips and sharing their knowledge with me. With thanks also to all the taxi and bus drivers during my time in South America, kind enough to share their music with me.
