Cantaré, Latin American Music

AFRO-PERUVIAN MUSIC FROM THE PACIFIC COAST REGION OF PERÚ

INTRODUCTION

Enslaved African populations were brought over to the Spanish colony of Perú in the 16th century. They were sent to work in the large farms of the Pacific Coast. It was there that Afro-Peruvian music, song and dance were born.

The beginnings of slavery in Perú were different from the rest of the Americas. Although in Brazil or Central and North American countries it was common to bring large groups of enslaved populations from the same African tribe, only small and geographically dispersed ethnic groups were brought to Perú. This was meant to discourage rebel movements around tribal chiefs, and as such, made it almost impossible to preserve communal traditions. Without a common language or bond to remind them of their roots, Peruvian enslaved people were progressively integrated into the culture of their new country. As a result, Afro- Peruvian music is a unique blend of Spanish, Indigenous and African traditions.

Because the Africans were forbidden from playing their own instruments, percussion instruments developed out of the simplest household objects; spoons, kitchen chairs, table tops, boxes, handclaps, until the creation of the cajón.

The cajón is a box made out of hardwood, with the front cover being of a very fine layer of plywood. The cajón has an open circle cut at the back of the instrument. The player sits on it and plays two main strokes as well as a few other variations.

Other percussion instruments used in Afro-Peruvian music include the cajita and the quijada. The cajita is a small wooden box played with a stick in the right hand while the left hand opens and shuts the top in rhythmic time. The quijada is a donkey jaw that is played by striking the wide part of the jaw with the fist to obtain a rattle sound (an instrument called a vibraslap is a copy of this instrument).

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AFRO-PERUVIAN MUSIC ACTIVITY 1

MAP OF LATIN AMERICA

1) Find Perú on the map and circle the name.

2) The Capital of Perú is ______.

3) What are Perú’s 6 borders? (Hint: one is not a country!)

1.______2. ______

3. ______4. ______

5. ______6. ______

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AFRO-PERUVIAN MUSIC ACTIVITY 2

The song Xanaharí presented by Cantaré, comes from the African tradition of Perú. This type of music is played in the Pacific Coast of Perú. It uses a combination of 2 different types of instruments.

• Percussion instruments – the kind that you play by tapping/striking, shaking or scratching/scraping (drum, shake, scraper)

• String instruments – the type that you play by plucking or strumming, such as with a guitar or a bass, or with a bow, such as with a violin or cello.

In the video of Xanaharí, you will SEE one string instrument (guitar) and 3 percussion instruments (cajón, cajita and donkey jawbone), but you will also HEAR the sound of 2 other percussion instruments:

Ø The Congas – a single-head drum, usually played in pairs.

Ø The Cowbell -a bell that is struck with a stick.

The song Xanaharí represents a rhythm called Festejo. The word Festejo, comes from the Spanish word “fiesta,” which means party or celebration. Festejo is a form of celebratory Afro-Peruvian music and dance.

Ø Curious Language Fact: In Spanish, the verb used for playing an instrument is Tocar, which in English means to Touch. So in Spanish, you don’t play an instrument, you touch an instrument!

Let’s see if you can translate 2 phrases of the song into English… (Hint: Bonito means beautiful)

SPANISH ENGLISH

Qué bonito suena el cajón!

Toca el cajón

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AFRO-PERUVIAN MUSIC ACTIVITY 3

MATCH THE INSTRUMENTS Match each instrument to the correct definition

CENCERRO (Cowbell) - Bell made out of hard metal, originally used in farms to hang 1. around a cow’s neck. It is used for many different styles of Afro-Latin music.

CAJITA - (little box) Is played by opening and closing the top, and also hitting the top 2. and sides with a stick, comes from the box used for money offerings.in church.

CONGAS - The name in Spanish is tumbadora. These drums originated in Cuba. 3. They are shaped somewhat like a barrel and are usually played in pairs.

QUIJADA DE BURRO - Donkey jawbone used as a percussion instrument. 4.

CAJÓN - (crate or big box) A wooden rectangular box played as a drum. 5.

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AFRO-PERUVIAN MUSIC ACTIVITY 4

ORDINARY OBJECTS AS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

During the performance, Cantaré showed you some unusual percussion instruments that come from the African Tradition of Perú. History tells us that during the time of slavery in Perú, drums were forbidden, so enslaved people used the common objects that they had around them to make music.

Section A:

Music is a very important part of human life. Answer the following questions (if you need extra space, use a separate sheet of paper to write your answers):

1) What does music mean to you?

2) Do you listen to music when you are happy, sad, mad, for celebrations, etc.?

3) What would you do if you were not allowed to have instruments or music?

Section B:

1) Find common objects in your home that can be used on their own or assembled together to make a musical instrument. Look for things that you can shake, scrape, tap, pluck or blow. Ø PLEASE check with a grownup at home before you take anything from the house!

2) Come up with a name for your instrument.

3) Make a video of yourself playing the instrument and share it with your class! Remember to include the name of your instrument, explain how it was created and demonstrate how it works (shake, scrape, strike, pluck or blow).

Activity Pages – Afro-Peruvian Music Cantaré, Latin American Music www.cantaremusic.com