#arrechon

Colombia is a land blessed with a rich variation of musical tradition.  It has produced some of the most popular music in Latin America and is well known for its salsa, cumbia, vallenato and of course, the sensation that is Shakira.  The more I've delved into latin music and Latin America, I've come to realise that there seem to be endless genres of music here, especially in Colombia.  My vinyl record buying cravings are currently frustrated as I try to resist from carrying extra bulk in my baggage, although I did pick up 6 records in Barranquilla and have since left them with a friend in Bogota.

The folkloric music scene of Colombia's pacific coast has until recently kept a pretty low profile. In the past decade however música del pacifico has made huge inroads on the Colombian music scene and a new generation of musicians and producers are carrying this music to a wider audience.  Local artists like Chocquibtown are receiving international attention and DJ's like the UK's Quantic are also incorporating this traditional sound.  As more modern music embraces traditional rhythms, this has generated a greater appreciation from music fans across the continent, an appreciation that has never been lacking from the people of the state of Chocó in the pacific coast.  The music breathes the spirit of Africa and traditional handmade instruments are still used with the marimba the central character accompanied by ancestral chants and harmonies.  I found a picture of some these familiar instruments to give you an idea and save me describing them: 

The Festival de Música del Pacífico Petronio Álvarez is the largest and most revered Afro-Colombian, folkloric festival in Colombia.  Over one hundred music groups take part annually in a competition for the Petronio Álvarez Prize in various modalities. However, the most sought-after prize is an ovation from a demanding public that generously surrenders to music that touches the right fibres of their lives.

I decided to go to the festival after speaking to an old friend and Colombian legend, German Escobar who suggested meeting up at the festival.  German (pronounced Herr-man) opened the first hostel in Colombia in 1993 and we met in 2002 when I first stayed at his Platypus Hostel and always kept in touch.  I wanted to catch up with him on my travels but the festival was down the other side of the country, not really what I had in mind as I thought I'd gently make my way south through Colombia but it sounded great!  I was feeling a bit lost about what to do at this point and the chance to go to a traditional music festival with an old friend was too good to pass up, so I decided to do it!  The journey to Cali was a mission, it took me 36 hours of travelling by taxi, boat, night-bus, and then 2 more buses.  

Cali is famous for its love of salsa but its close proximity to the pacific region and multicultural society make it the ideal venue for the Petronio Festival.  It’s also a pretty big party town but then, most of the big, Colombian cities are.  However during its various festivals, the city explodes with life and fiesta as the Caleños (Cali folks) are busting to shake their hips to the party rhythms that pulsate across the city.

On my first evening I arrived at the Pan Americanan football pitches where the festival which is held with German, some of the staff and a group of backpackers from the Iguana Hostel.  The only booze available are some comically named homemade juices that are traditional from the pacific coast: viche, toma seca and arrechon.  These translate to mean (in order): raw, dry-drink and horny which is the milky, Baileys-type drink.

VICHE, TOMA SECA and CREMA DE VICHE

ARRECHON - Horny Juice

I tried viche which is the clear looking ‘raw’ juice and the only one I saw on the first night; it cost about £3.50 for a small bottle, it smelt and tasted wrong, slightly meths-like but there was nothing else.  I was in the mood for a party and so was everyone else in the crowd so we chugged away and tried to gradually master the dance moves that seemed intrinsically inherent to the majority of the audience.  There was no stopping German though, he was the leader of good times in our posse and busting to mingle with anyone and everyone.  From what I remember, the first night was relatively tame as to what was to come for the rest of the week but then, it also kind of blurred into one week long booze fuelled party.  Yep, it was a full week of grooving, boozing, bouncing up and down and hip wiggling that got busier and livelier with each day’s festivities.  Just the sound of a cow bell or drumbeat could send a whole crowd into rapture as the crowds would compete to perform hilarious dance moves.  I think they were probably all on the horny juice which was actually pretty tasty but I preferred the herby tasting toma seca.  Humour was a huge part of the dancing as well which was what made the festival more fun for me, dancing should never be taken seriously in my opinion.  The morning after the first night and I was proper broken.  The viche had seemingly poisoned my insides, I had what I can only describe as a torrential hangover but it was so hot and sunny outside my dorm room that I couldn’t sleep anymore.  I wandered half brain-dead across the city get to know more of Cali and eventually I started feel better.  I walked through the city centre and checked out a pretty, bohemian barrio called San Antonio.  The buildings are of a classic, European, colonial style and there’s a large park on a hill with plenty of folks hanging out, smoking weed, playing guitars or selling snacks and artesanias crafts. For the rest of the week, I went out every night trying the various juices, listening to the music, meeting lots of friendly folks and dancing with the infectious pacificos who would dance non-stop to any rhythm going.  When the concerts finished at 10pm the crowds were practically dragged from the venue and the parties would erupt in the middle of the street outside until eventually they moved on to the various salsa clubs around the city.  Live salsa bands entertained inside the clubs while impromptu musicians performed more música del pacifico rhythms outside and the parties continued into the early hours.  Each day I dragged myself out of bed around midday to explore more sights or exhibitions around Cali, alone or with different friends I met during the week.  Then I’d convince myself to get back on the boogie juice again in the evening for another class night. It was an awesome festival that I’ll never forget and hopefully I’ll be back again this year.  In the meantime, música del pacifico will be a regular feature on Seany’s personal jukebox.