Definition of
zamba
In Argentina, zamba is the name given to a genus of music and a dance which are characteristic of the northwestern region. The zamba is part of what is known as the Argentine folklore.
Derived from the zamacuecaa style originating from Peruthe zamba can have a compass of 6/8of 3/4 or a combination of both. In it dancethe choreography combines three figures: the arrestthe Turn around and the whole lapwhich involve different movements of the members of the dance couple.
The songs that follow this rhythm They are known as zambas. “Alfonsina and the sea”, “Zamba of my hope” and “Zamba de Vargas” They are some of the best-known zambas in the Argentine popular songbook.
However, they are not the only known zambas that have become really important within Argentine and world culture. We are referring to others such as “Añoralgias”, by Les Luthiers; “White and blue”, by Mercedes Sosa; “El Paraná en una zamba”, by Jaime Dávalos or “Zamba de Juan Panadero” by Manuel J. Castilla and Gustavo Cuchi Leguizamón.
It is also important to know that within the zamba there are several modalities. In this way, for example, there is the so-called zamba carpera, which is identified for having a lighter rhythm and because the bandoneon plays a fundamental role in its music.
This without forgetting that there is also talk of the zamba alegre, which was developed at the beginning of the 20th century. It is identified because the couple dances it loosely and because it has two movements, sixteen bars of zamba, as many bars of gato, and twelve final bars. It is important that the dancers wear castanets and a handkerchief.
It is important to note that the term zamba comes from the time of the European colonies in America. The Europeans called zambas at mixed-race women who descended from a black father and aboriginal mother or from an aboriginal father and a black motherwhile the men in the same situation they were called zambos.
The concept arises from the divisions in races either castes that the conquistadors imposed on the American continent. The children of couples made up of African slaves (or their descendants) and Native Americans, in this context, were the zambos, numerous in Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Panama and other countries.
Currently, the nation with the largest amount of zamba population is Panama. certain regions of Ecuador, Colombia and BrazilOn the other hand, they also present numerous zambo inhabitants.
In the same way, we cannot ignore that zamba is also a word that is used as an adjective to refer to a person who walks in a strange way. Because? Because her knees are too close together and her legs are too far apart.
When used with this meaning, we have to state that the term zamba has its etymological origin in the Latin word “strambus”, which can be translated as cross-eyed and which, in turn, derives from the Greek. In this particular case of the word “strephein”, which means “twist”.