Cumbia
Juliana Cusumano
Origin
Cumbia is dance-oriented latin music and originally started in Colombia. Cumbia music is a combination of African and European cultural sounds. The drums typically heard in cumbia music come from the African culture and the sounds of flutes and variations in the music come from the European culture.
Instruments
The main instruments used in Cumbia music are bass drums, maracas, flutes called gaitas, and a metal instrument called a guache.
Cumbia in Dancing
Traditionally, women wear long colorful skirts, they then wear fitted white blouses and typically wear flowers in their hair. Men wear white pants, a white shirt, and usually a hat. Cumbia dancing includes many different steps and usually includes lots of swaying and moving of the hips.