As we wind down our week of exploring Ecuador I must ask, because everyone has an opinion — who is the best Ecuadorian vocalist — Julio Jaramillo or Olimpio Cardenas?
The international star Julio Jaramill0, revered for his boleros, pasillos and rancheras, may be more famous of the two. Still, the arguably more adept Olimpio Cardenas can give Julio a run for its Ecuadorian money (which also happens to be American money). See the two powerhouses square off head to head in this video. Enjoy!
Let’s begin with Papá Roncón….
As we start this week’s adventure in Ecuador, let’s enjoy this video of the belowed Papá Roncón. Born in the Ecuadorian city of Esmeraldas, center of Afro-Ecuadorian culture, Roncón was both a musician and a musical educator, founding the “La Catanga” school of traditional cultural to teach young children to appreciate and perform Afro-Ecuadorian music.
This week in our online class we visit Ecuador and learn about an Afro-Ecuadorian dance from the Chota Valley known as the bomba. Ecuador may the second smallest country in South America but it boasts an enormous amount of geographic, biological and ethnic diversity. Ecuador benefits from being home to thousands of species of animals and plants, as well as a wealth of ethnic and racial groups. Over 60% of Ecuadorians are of mixed European and American-Indian heritage, and 25% describe themselves as being born of one of the nation’s indigenous peoples. Despite this pervasive mixing, deep regional rivalries, such as a protracted rivalry between coastal city Guayaquil and the Andean capital, Quito, remain a staple of Ecuador’s internal politics. Ecuador also has an unofficial, yet deeply entrenched, “caste” system, based upon race and ancestral history.
In Ecuador when you dance to bomba a form of Afro-Ecuadorian music from the Chota Valley you’ll probably do so while balancing a wine bottle on your head, like in this video (look at 1:40). When you and your two year-olds dance to bomba in music class you’ll more likely balance a “whine” bottle. Heh. Heh heh.
