Central American music
Encyclopedia
Central America
is dominated by the popular Latin music, or Black Caribbean trends, including salsa
, cumbia
, mariachi
, reggae
, calypso
and nueva canción
. The countries of Central America have produced their own distinct forms of these genres such as Panamanian salsa, among others. One of the well-known forms of Central American music is punta
, a style innovated by the syncretic Garifunas
who live across the region, in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Belize. The marimba
, a type of xylophone
, is perhaps the most important folk instrument of Central America, and it is widespread throughout the region.
scene, especially the field of punta
, Belize is also known for brukdown
, a popular genre that developed in the mining camps in the interior of the country.
.
, a genre more closely associated with Colombia
but which has a unique sound in El Salvador. The xuc was decreed the national dance in the 1950s, though it was not found throughout the country at the time.
music, than other Central American countries.
as well as the well-preserved traditions of the Lenca people.
. Palo de Mayo is the name given to the dance
as well as the music genre
that originated in the festival of the same name that is celebrated every day of May annually in Nicaragua.
, an instrument similar to a guitar
, is a popular instrument unique to Panama. The country is also known for the tamborito
folk dance and the many international stars of Panamanian salsa and Panamanian cumbia.
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
is dominated by the popular Latin music, or Black Caribbean trends, including salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
, cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
, mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
and nueva canción
Nueva canción
Nueva canción is a movement and genre within Latin American and Iberian music of folk music, folk-inspired music and socially committed music...
. The countries of Central America have produced their own distinct forms of these genres such as Panamanian salsa, among others. One of the well-known forms of Central American music is punta
Punta
Punta is a Garifuna music and dance style performed at celebrations and festive occasions. Contemporary punta, including Belizean punta rock, arose in the last thirty years of the twentieth century in Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. It also has a following in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Southern Mexico...
, a style innovated by the syncretic Garifunas
Garifuna music
Garifuna music is quite different from the music of the rest of Central America. The most famous form is punta. Its associated musical style, which has the dancers move their hips from right to left in a circular motion...
who live across the region, in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Belize. The marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, a type of xylophone
Xylophone
The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, is perhaps the most important folk instrument of Central America, and it is widespread throughout the region.
Belize
Aside from having the most active Garifuna musicGarifuna music
Garifuna music is quite different from the music of the rest of Central America. The most famous form is punta. Its associated musical style, which has the dancers move their hips from right to left in a circular motion...
scene, especially the field of punta
Punta
Punta is a Garifuna music and dance style performed at celebrations and festive occasions. Contemporary punta, including Belizean punta rock, arose in the last thirty years of the twentieth century in Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. It also has a following in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Southern Mexico...
, Belize is also known for brukdown
Brukdown
Brukdown is a genre of Belizean music. Its best-known performer and innovator, Wilfred Peters is regarded as a Belizean national icon. The word brukdown may come from broken down calypso, referring to the similarities between brukdown and Trinidadian calypso music; the presence of large numbers...
, a popular genre that developed in the mining camps in the interior of the country.
Costa Rica
The Punto Guanacaste is the official national dance of Costa Rica, a country perhaps best known for its own distinct variety of popular calypso musicCalypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
.
El Salvador
El Salvador has participated in many Latin musical trends, such as cumbiaCumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
, a genre more closely associated with Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
but which has a unique sound in El Salvador. The xuc was decreed the national dance in the 1950s, though it was not found throughout the country at the time.
Guatemala
Guatemala, like its neighbors, is well-known for the national instrument, the marimba. Guatemalan traditions are much more closely based on the instrument, and on ancient MayanMaya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
music, than other Central American countries.
Honduras
Honduras is known for Garifuna musicGarifuna music
Garifuna music is quite different from the music of the rest of Central America. The most famous form is punta. Its associated musical style, which has the dancers move their hips from right to left in a circular motion...
as well as the well-preserved traditions of the Lenca people.
Nicaragua
Nicaraguan music is traditionally marimba-based, it also includes Garifuna music. The most well-known dance and music of Nicaragua is Palo de MayoPalo de Mayo
Palo de Mayo is a type of Afro-Caribbean dance with sensual movements that forms part of the culture of several communities in the RAAS region in Nicaragua, as well as Belize, the Bay Islands of Honduras and Bocas del Toro in Panama. It is also the name given to the month long May Day festival...
. Palo de Mayo is the name given to the dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
as well as the music genre
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
that originated in the festival of the same name that is celebrated every day of May annually in Nicaragua.
Panama
The mejoraneraMejoranera
The Mejorana or Mejoranera is a folkloric Chordophone from Panama. It is carved from one block of wood or from dry fibers of Bejuco, and is shaped like a small guitar. It has five nylon, horse hair, or gut strings. The Mejoranera is tuned in either an e'-b-a-a'-d' or an e'-b-g-g'-d' sequence For...
, an instrument similar to a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, is a popular instrument unique to Panama. The country is also known for the tamborito
Tamborito
El Tamborito, literally translated to “the Little Drum”, is a genre of Panamanian folkloric music and dance dating back as early as the 17th century. The Tamborito is the national song and dance of Panama. The dance is a romantic, couple’s dance, often involving a small percussion ensemble, and in...
folk dance and the many international stars of Panamanian salsa and Panamanian cumbia.