A group of young Colombian musicians known as “Cantares del Pacifico” is crossing the Atlantic for five days in a cultural exchange of music and dance with the west African nation of Ghana.
The visit comes after opening diplomatic relationship between the two countries following the establishment of shared embassy between Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Peru in Ghana under the Cali Declaration made in recent accord with the Pacific Alliance.
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said of the visit, “The objective is to strengthen our friendship with Ghana… And explore the roots of Pacific Colombian music, currulao, on the African continent.”
Currulao is a folkloric music and dance originating from an Afro-Colombian tradition that uses percussion instruments, rhythms, and vocal arrangements patterned on west African culture brought to Colombia during the European slave trade of previous centuries.
The group is composed of nine young Colombian singers and dancers between the ages of 14 of 17. The Colombian group while in Ghana will meet with young Ghanese artists to deepen the young musicians’ understanding of their own Pacific Colombian music, known as currulao, as well as explore new influences and open their minds abroad.
Sources
- Músicos colombianos visitan Ghana para afianzar intercambio cultural (El Colombiano)
- El currulao (Colombia Aprende)
- Declaración de Cali (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores)