Marimba Music at Calle del Arco in Antigua
The marimba (pronunciation) has to be Guatemala’s most popular musical instrument. It is found in every single town’s fair, party and cultural event (almost). La Marimba, as it’s known in Spanish, is a type of xylophone with various origins. Guatemala claims to be THE origin of the marimba and, I believe, it is Guatemala’s National Music Instrument. For sure, Guatemala was indeed one of the origins of this particular percussion instrument and its sound.
Marimba music is so deeply rooted into the Guatemalan psyche that even the few of us that do not like it, recognize it and feel it; especially if we are abroad, as far as Kinshasa, Congo or in the good old U.S.A. For sure, you can hear marimba music on Calle del Arco on the weekends in La Antigua Guatemala.
For those chapines living abroad and for those who do not know what marimba music sounds like, I leave you with two samples of Guatemalan marimba music below. Dancing with the person nearest to you is allowed and encouraged. You can also check out a video clip of the marimba band playing at La Fonda de la Calle Real on the weekend in La Antigua Guatemala thanks to Xeni Jardin.
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So, Rudy, amazing, just when I thought you’d exhausted your...
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August 22nd, 2007
Hey, guess what Rudy? … Finally something you didn’t copy and won’t find in Tenerife!
It’s a pleasant enough sound (though I won’t be rushing out to buy their greatest hits) and, I can see why it’s popular. Live in situ it really must be an integral part of the atmosphere.
August 22nd, 2007
Happy photo — love that it’s young people playing such a traditional and cultural instrument.
August 22nd, 2007
Muy bonito Rudy, gracias
August 22nd, 2007
It brought me into tears. Thanx Rudy. My abuelito used to play this when I was a kid.
August 22nd, 2007
Cool photo shot. We got ice cream at this shop in the background 2 times on our last visit. YUM. I enjoyed the marimba music everywhere we went, but like most folks, would not like a steady diet of it.
August 22nd, 2007
Love this photo. Music is powerful medicine (if somewhat temporary) to the tragedies of the world…even if it is the marimba!
August 23rd, 2007
If Guate isn’t the origin of marimba, at least it was there where it acquired this level of complexity. I have seen marimbas in Africa but they aren’t as big and are usually played only by one person. Marimba music brings up many happy memories.
August 23rd, 2007
We had the good fortune to catch Las Alas Chapinas near Washington, DC, at last September’s Guatemalan Independence Day festival. Incredible to have flown those massive old wooden instruments all that way…they sounded great and had the crowd on their feet. Thanks for the post.
August 23rd, 2007
Me hicieron llorar recordando a mi Bella Guate… que buena pagina…
August 23rd, 2007
Being out of Guatemala, that instrument sounds different! I didn’t realize how deep inside my soul this kind of music was until now.
August 24th, 2007
looks something like a xylophone
November 26th, 2007
[...] this is too much! Come on, who came up with the bright idea of mixing the chicken bus and the marimba orquesta. If hell existed, this would be [...]
May 3rd, 2008
[...] seeds and other objects), tortuga (turtle shell), shellfish shell, drum, sonajas (rattles) and the omnipresent marimba (which you saw [...]