The Southeastern Plains

The Southeastern plains are part of one of the world’s largest river basins, an extensive territory shared by Colombia and Venezuela and framed by the Orinoco River. Andean jungles, forests along the rivers, palm groves, and grasslands dominate the landscape. In the winter, rushing rivers and numerous streams and creeks flood the plains and great savannahs of the region.

Seasonal cycles of hot and humid climate with heavy rains followed by months of drought define the work and daily routines of local inhabitants. The principal livelihoods in the region are agriculture, hunting, and cattle ranching. With the herd and the ranch as the basic production units, a ranching culture has developed based on the knowledge and management of cattle and horses, that includes a distinctive song tradition with lyrics for calling cattle and a foodways based on beef. 

PARTICIPANTS

Ramiro Moreno Yepes, wood carver, Paz de Ariporo
Ramiro Moreno is a skilled Sikuani wood carver. Using techniques that have been passed down through generations, he carves canoes and bancos ceremoniales (ceremonial stools) with detailed designs that are rich in symbolic meaning associated with the llanos (plains).

Joel Pérez Chávez, cook, Villavicencio
Joel Pérez Chávez specializes in preparing la mamona, the traditional style of roasting meat in the plains. This cooking style is difficult to master and is generally used for festivities and business events. He began working in the plains at the age of 13, but after suffering an injury, he learned roasting techniques to avoid the dangerous work of the cattle yards.

Álvaro Rey Almeda, cook, bread oven mason, San Martín
Álvaro Rey, known as Don Kino, owns a bakery that specializes in pan de arroz, delicate bread rolls made from rice flour, which reflect the relatively recent introduction of rice as a plains crop. Kino's wife learned the trade from his mother, and now the family is well known for the bread they bake and sell daily.

Carlos Humberto Rivera Vargas, cattle ranching craftsman, San Martín
Carlos Humberto is renowned for his saddle-making skills and specializes in creating tools for ranchers and farm workers. His labor-intensive work is distinguished by its detail and high quality.

Hermes Romero Vidal, hammock maker, leather craftsman, Paz de Ariporo
Hermes Romero Vidal makes his livelihood creating and selling traditional crafts, particularly the hammock that he learned to make while working in the ranches. He participates in fairs nationally and internationally, selling his products to customers in Venezuela, Mexico, and the United States.

Jairo Yepes Gaitán, wood carver, Paz de Ariporo
Jairo Yepes is a Sikuani wood carver. His traditional pieces include animal figures such as jaguars, parrots, and fish. Many of these figures are used during rituals and ceremonies.

Augusto Hernán Rodríguez López, joropo instrument maker, Granada
Augusto Hernán Rodríguez López is a musician who found his passion in instrument making and repair. He specializes in the construction of harps and is known throughout the plains for his skill. He currently builds instruments for regional academies and makes and repairs instruments for musicians.

Grupo Cabrestero, joropo music and dance group

• Félix Chaparro Rivas, musician (bandola), Aguazul
• Cristian Rafael Rosillo Gutiérrez, musician (maracas), Yopal
• Víctor Cenón Espinel Sánchez, singer, Maní
• Freddy Calixto Ladines Porras, musician (cuatro), Aguazul
• Arnulfo Pinto García, joropo dancer, Cumaral
• Magdalena Plazas Lugo, joropo dancer, Cumaral

Grupo Cabrestero was formed specifically to perform at this Festival. They chose their name, which refers to the lead cattle herder, because they hope to lead their listeners into the heart of llanero culture through their music. The group includes a lead singer, three musicians who play bandola, cuatro, and maracas, and a dance couple. Joropo music is part of the llanero lifestyle, which revolves around cattle ranching. When Felix Chaparro is not working as a ranch hand, he is a music teacher at Casa de la Cultura and in many other schools. He comes from a family of musicians and plays the bandola and makes maracas. Victor Espinel is a singer and bandola player in the traditional joropo style. Since the age of nine, he has been singing these songs which are often milking tunes, cowboy tunes, or tunes to sing to the cattle. Arnulfo Pinto and his partner Magdalena Plaza dance joropo criollo, which he considers to be the most traditional style of joropo. He describes his knowledge of this dance as innate, and because he did not formally learn it at an academy, his style may not adhere to the norms and rules of joropo criollo.