Chimichagua and the Musical Ecosystem of the Tambora in the Depresión Momposina

Abstract

The tambora is a traditional celebration geographically dispersed across the Depresión Momposina—a vast area along the Magdalena River Basin in northern Colombia—and one of the well-known bailes cantaos, as the sung dances of this region are commonly known. Few in-depth studies into this celebration have been conducted so far, and none of them have devoted particular attention to the tambora of the town of Chimichagua. In this study, the results of the fieldwork carried out in Chimichagua reveal peculiar characteristics of this tambora, which clearly distinguish it from others in the area. Its musical and choreographic specificities make it possible to speak of a complex musical ecosystem in the region, whose diversity is threatened by several factors that will be discussed in this article.