Apreciación de las músicas tradicionales del Caribe colombiano, VI parte, Bogotá, 2026

Before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the territories we know today as Colombia were inhabited by diverse Indigenous peoples such as the Muisca, Tairona, Quimbaya, Zenú, and many more. Their music was entirely ancestral and functional; that is, it didn't exist as entertainment but as part of their spiritual, social, and ritual life. Instruments used: Indigenous peoples developed their own instruments made from natural materials: Flutes (made of bone, cane, or wood) Ocarinas (made of ceramic, very common in pre-Columbian cultures) Drums Maracas and rattles Conch shells (as wind instruments) Real characteristics of this music: There was no Western harmony (chords as we know them today) Repetitive rhythms and cyclical patterns predominated Use of collective singing and sounds of nature Strong connection to ceremonies, agriculture, warfare, and spirituality