Colombia has been invited to be the guest of honor in the most important cultural festival in the United States. The Smithsonian Institution – founded in 1846 is the world’s largest museum and research complex – has been hosting the Folklife Festival as a free event along the Mall in Washington since 1967 and the importance of this event has not been lost on those coming to represent Colombia here between June 30 and July 11.
Over several months in 2010, employees of the Smithsonian liaised with cultural counterparts in Colombia and then traveled to this South American nation in order to see and experience for themselves a little of the vast cultural and bio-diverse offerings that are present here.
And they were obviously not disappointed with what they saw, since in 2011 the program is entitled, Colombia: The Nature of Culture. Obviously the primary objective of the Festival is to highlight and share with those present the main customs, practices, knowledge and wealth of the country invited. And in 2011 the Colombian exposition will place an emphasis on some incredibly diverse regions including the Southeastern Savannas or Llanos, the Mompós Depression, the Pacific rainforest, the Andean highlands, the Coffee region and the three urban centers of Bogotá, Cali and Medellín.
Colombian Music and Dance on Show
More than 100 artists have been invited to the Festival to ensure that no visitor leaves without a sampling of the flavors of Colombian song, dance and stories. And if this were not enough, there will be traditional cooking on show for visitors to savor as well. All of these performances will go some way to showing how in Colombia cultural expressions are inextricably bound to their distinctive environments.
The Survival of Colombia’s Cultural Heritage
Hopefully the very opportunity of being present at this well-recognized festival will serve as a positive window into Colombia’s wealth as opposed to the frequent and disparaging reports in the mainstream media. And this in turn will encourage those in Colombia to protect and value their cultural and natural heritage.
Drum musicians from Mompós will see how the public in Washington reacts to their music and that it is something that needs to be protected. And by equal measure, gold panners from the Atrato River in the Choco will draw some light onto the hardships of their lifestyle.
Closer to Home, the History of the Willys
Another item on show that will surely awaken the curiosity of old and young alike will be the presence of World War II era jeeps known in Colombia as Willys. These have been used for generations in this country to transport everything from bananas to coffee and alongside their usage another cultural phenomenon has arisen, that of the Yipero.
What is a Yipero?
The Yipero is the man in charge of packing the Willys and ensuring that everything can be transported. Any easy job I hear you say, not at all, these jeeps are packed to bursting with bananas or sacks of coffee piled outrageously high and then are expected to trundle over poor roads and mountain sides. The Yipero learnt his trade packing donkeys and then evolved over time onto Willys. It is as if the Smithsonian experts obviously agree that this is a true cultural expression.
About the 2011 Festival
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival runs from June 30 to July 11, 2011 and is free of charge. It takes place along the Mall between the hours of 11am and 5:30pm.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
