Vallenato

Vallenato is a traditional folk music genre from the Caribbean region of Colombia, centered in Valledupar in the Cesar Department. It emerged among rural communities along the Cesar River and reflects a synthesis of Indigenous, African, and Spanish musical elements. A standard vallenato group comprises a diatonic button accordion leading the melody, supported by the guacharaca, a percussion scraper, and the caixa, a drum.

The repertoire is built around four principal rhythms: paseo, merengue, son, and puya. Each rhythm has a distinct tempo and character and is associated with specific song forms and themes. Lyrics are usually narrative and may tell stories of daily life, love, heroism, or historical events, with vocal performance and occasional improvisation by the singer.

Vallenato has played a central role in Colombian popular culture and has produced prominent artists such as Rafael Escalona, Emiliano Zuleta Baquero, Diomedes Díaz, and Jorge Celedón. The Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata, held annually in Valledupar since 1968, is a major cultural event that celebrates the genre. In 2013, UNESCO recognized vallenato as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.