Rhythms Without Borders: Uncovering the Fascinating Journey of the Zamacueca from Peru to Chile and Beyond

PART II: La Cueca in Chile.

Part 1 in the following link (https://www.elrancaguino.cl/2024/09/11/andanzas-de-la-cueca)

Starting in the 1830s, Cueca in our country began to take its current form, both literary and musical. Just as it comes from Peru, Cueca incorporates elements of popular musical culture that existed in Chile at that time (a phenomenon similar to what has happened in recent years with Cumbia, which came from Colombia). In this way, the Cueca is spread throughout the national territory, acquiring its own characteristics in each cultural area.

In Chiloé, the Cueca simultaneously develop a pure seguillas literary form, along with the more developed form in the rest of the country, with a quatrain, a composed seguidilla and a final couplet. Both, with singing included. In the Hispano-Andean area (corresponding to the extreme northern regions of Chile), the cueca is generally performed instrumentally; It is not sung everywhere. There the metallic instrumental sounds prevail in seguidilla measures (Bronze Bands); the same as the Lakitas groups (groups of wind instruments, a type of pan flute, usually called zampoñas). In the pampas and the coastal parts of the extreme northern regions of Chile, the Cueca is also usually sung, either accompanied by guitar, piano and other instruments of European origin.

Between the 1950s and 1960s, some scholars of traditional Chilean culture and the media began to give surnames to the different Cueca styles that used to be shown throughout the country. So, we learned: Cueca Chilota, Cueca Nortina, Cueca Huasa, Cueca Campesina, Cueca Brava, Cueca Chora, Cueca de Salón, and so on, depending on the area or the cultural or regional expression.

Those names have already been adopted by the people. However, we believe that Cueca, if we want to give him a surname, is nothing more than Cueca Chilebecause this is the musical, literary and choreographic form that the people coined throughout these 200 years. Now, whoever dances it will give their own style, but they will always dance Cueca. For the Chilotes, northern Chile begins at Puerto Montt or Osorno; Valdivia and Temuco, for example, are already “from the north”. Therefore, what we understand by “Cueca nortina” loses meaning. Yes, a cuequero group, such as “Los Palmeros”, who perform cuecas in the style of the famous and memorable Chileneros (that form is usually called Cueca Brava), is almost always danced by a few obvious sensual charm. But what happens if that same cueca, sung by Los Palmeros, is danced at the same time by a couple from Chiloé, another from Arica-Parinacota, another from the zone central… and each according to their own way of dancing… what would the cueca dance from that cueca be called? We believe that all those couples dance simply Underpantstherefore without a surname, no matter who interprets it musically, be it Los Palmeros, Conjunto Cuncumén or René Inostroza. Each couple dances in their own personal style or way. The people respect only his basic choreography: Initial Figure, first Switch side, second Switch side and Finish.

Margot Loyola dancing cueca with Domingo Pardo in Chillán, 1962.

In our journey through the history of the Cueca, the only cucas with a surname that we have discovered and studied are: Cueca del Chinchinero, with the obligatory accompaniment of Organillo; Cueca of three (two men with a lady, or two ladies with a man); Cueca de Velorio, Cueca Larga, Cueca Larga del Balance; Cueca Stolen; Cueca del Jote; Cueca Clown or Cueca Circus. It is possible to find other very specific ones. They are special Cuecas, with a surname, which coined the people and gave them a folklore character. Probably only one Chinchinero is still completely authentic; the others already correspond to historical dances.

An unfortunate inconsistency in the provision and “support” of our national dance has been the setting of norms and rules that the Cueca Championships require. In order to promote our national dance, they have made the serious mistake of forcing us to dance one style of dance, disrupting the great richness of the natural dance that most Chileans usually dance. As a result of this, an elite cuequera has emerged which is difficult to implement, because it involves the use of expensive costumes and high technical demand for preparation and rehearsals, which has led to the schematization of the dance to an excellent degree of perfection. Sure, everything looks very beautiful and spectacular, but it loses the essence of naturalness and the meaning that the town has given to the cueca for 200 years. Something similar is happening in Peru with the Marinera.

Young people from the Christmas Commune dancing Cueca, 1987.

Another incongruity is presented by some Folklore Projection Ensembles, who still show songs and dances from the Spanish-Pcunche cultural area (corresponding to the broad central area of ​​Chile). For many years they have introduced what is known as the Cueca Huasa and the Cueca Campesina. We ask ourselves, isn’t the huaso a folk character? Furthermore, the Ministry of Education, every year organizes a “Sample” of Cueca Escolar. However, in practice, school children compete to win and represent their school in regional and/or national finals. And the paradox happens, in the second basic circle, that there are two categories: Cueca Campesina and Cueca Huasa. Costumes are not evaluated, but it is understood that men who dance “cueca campesina” must wear flip-flops, a chuck, a work shirt, and a cloth around their waist; that is, “a peon’s locker room.” On the other hand, men in the “cueca huasa” category have to do so dressed as huasos. The women, in both cases, usually wear “Chinese costumes”, in the style of folklore or ballet ensembles. On this occasion we will not refer to the inappropriateness of forcing small children to dance cueca.

It is good to know the Cantora or Cantoras – on a smaller scale, Cantores – that we have found in every corner of our country. It is mainly them who have maintained the tradition of cueca dancing, animating popular festivals and celebrations with their singing over these 200 long years. Without singing there is no dancing. That determines the popular phrase, with the exception of the music of the Spanish-Andean area where the instruments are the ones that sing, along with percussion. There are still female singers; However, in the last 70 years, countless musical groups have emerged, female, male and mixed, which have been supported by phonographic recordings and, recently, audiovisual recordings with social networks, and with a subtle radio broadcast, which he barely maintains with. the tradition of dancing Cueca.

The Cueca Chile is danced throughout the national territory. Until now, at least, it is still a national dance, because the people adopt it spontaneously and have danced it for 200 years.