Gaita Zuliana

Christmas Venezuelan Music

Venezuelan Music

• From drumming with its roots in Africa, to Spanish-influenced guitar and harp music and the indigenous contribution of maracas.

• Venezuelan music is largely unknown outside the country.

• I hope this music will reach a wider public and get the attention it deserves.

• Joropo, calypso, tambores, salsa, cumbia, pop, rock, Latin jazz, electronica.

• Even slushy love songs by soap opera stars - Venezuela has it all.

Gaita Zuliana

• Some traditional Christmas music in Venezuela is 'Gaita' music. This is a type of folk music from the Zulia state.

• It's played on several instruments including the 'Cuatro' (a guitar with four strings)

• Tambora' (a Venezuelan drum), • 'Furro' (a type of drum but it has a stick coming up

through the middle of the skin of the drum - this can make it have some different sounds)

• 'Charrasca' (a ribbed tube that you rub a stick up and down).

• The singers are known as 'Gaiteros'.

Name and Origin

• The name Gaita Zuliana originates from the Venezuelan State called Zulia. Instruments used include :

• Cuatro, Charrasca, Furro, Tamboras. • The Gaita Zuliana has influences from European countries like Spain (the

furro is like a big zambomba, a traditional Spanish friction drum used during Christmas),

• Cuatro (a small guitar with four strings that is supposed to come from the Arab countries)

• in a harmonic fusion with African and aboriginal instruments like the tambora and charrasca which is a cylindrical piece of metal with grooves.

• Gaita is a style of Venezuelan folk music from Maracaibo in Zulia State. • The name may come from gaits, the Gothic word for "goat", which is the

skin generally used for the membrane of the furro instrument. • Other instruments used in gaita include maracas, piano, and bass.• Christmas, religious, protest, love and humor are themes in the lyrics of

the gaita zuliana.

Famous Groups

• Famous gaita groups include Maracaibo 15, Gran Coquivacoa, Barrio Obrero, Cardenalesdel Éxito, Koquimba, Melody Gaita,

• Estrellas del Zulia, Saladillo, and many others. The group Guaco started as a gaita group but now plays salsa.

Types

• Furro Gaita• Folk Gaita (disappeared)• Contemporary Gaita• Pop Gaita• Romantic / Spiritual Gaita (Religious)• Other types, from ZuliaSanta Lucía Gaita• Tambora Gaita (Tamborera)• Perijanera Gaita