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Part of this new time is the chaos, the lack of acknowledgement of
things and their surroundings. This is what happens with a culture
translated to the Andes, as it is the Negro or afroyungueña (african-Yungas)
culture.
This is the source of the dances of Tundiqui or Negritos (Negroes) from
which the Caporales (Foremen) dance originated. However, the Saya of the
Negroes, the Tundiquis or Negritos of the Aymara and mestizos should not
be confused, with the Caporales of the urban and middle class sector.
The AfroYungueños
They were foreigners and deinhabited, but the Divine
Infinite, father of the have-nots and the humble offered them in
heritance the territory of the Yungas, to share with the Aymara and
mongrels. The populations of Coroico, Mururata, Chicaloma, Calacala -
Coscoma, Irupana are now enclaves of the afroyungueña cultural
production. Their original costume would start to cover with Aymara
clothing.
Since their social rent, they had strongly to fight against the colonial
aggression and the exclusion. For this reason its cultural practices
began to disappear, including its feasts, language, spiritual sense,
ways of wedding, and so on.
However, the resistance was a fact in the stronghold of dance and music.
And one of these dances is Saya together with Condombe.
La Saya
The dance and the music of saya are the most original
expression that they keep from their cultural origin: it is their
cultural synthesis. Maybe that is why nobody can interpret it, except
the afroyungueños themselves.
The musical instruments that accompany saya have been reconstructed or
re-interpreted: bigger bass drum, over bass drum fife, over fife and
gangingo, as an accompaniment is the Coancha.
The rhythm and the way of interpretation is quite peculiar, the
beginning of every rhythm of Saya is beaten by the jingle bell of the
foreman or caporal who guides the dance of the saya.
The costume is simple. The women dress like the Aymara "warmis"
(women): a bright-colorful blouse adorned with ribbons. The colorful
pollera (a kind of skirt), the manta (back cover) in their hand and a
bore-slain hat.
Men wear a hat, a feast shirt, an Aymara slash around the waist, a
bayeta (a woolen thick cloth) pants and sandals.
The troop of dancers has a guide the caporal or capataz (foreman) with a
cudgel or whip in his hand, pants decorated and jingle bells at his
ankles; it represents the hierarchy and order; he is not the naughty and
bossy one as among the Negroes.
The role of the woman in the dance is as important as is in the
community. Among them, there is the guide that orders the saya and
directs the group of women.
The men simultaneously touch the bass drum and one of them strums the
coancha (req'e). The women sing and dance, moving their hips, shoulders
and shaking their hands, in counter pointing or dialoguing with the men.
The choreography does not seem at all the rhythm of the caporals. Those
who confuse these rhythms unfortunately have never seen or heard the
dance and music of saya. There are no shades or similitudes, saya is
saya, and caporal is just caporal.
The Tundiqui or Negritos
When in the beginning the Negroes shared their
territory, the culture and the historical time with the Aymara, both
unknown, acknowledged they as part of the exploitation work.
But it was the fight for liberty that united the have-nots. At the same
time, history and geography give away to a dialog among cultures.
The Aymara, a free man from his origins, always admired the Negroes for
their patience and rebelliousness. The Aymara excellent hosts,
acknowledged a Negro, as a struggle brother for liberty. As a sample, we
can mention the legend of Samba Salvito who had among his friends, many
indigenous Aymara from Yungas
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Cholita Yunguena |
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