Cumbia
Cumbia is a vibrant folk music and dance genre from Colombia's Caribbean coast, fusing Indigenous, African, and Spanish elements. It is defined by syncopated 2/4 rhythms, accordion and gaita flute melodies, and percussion like caja and alegre drums paired with guacharaca scrapes, often featuring Spanish call-and-response vocals.
Origin: Colombia's Caribbean coast (Barranquilla, Cartagena); a fusion of Indigenous (Kogui/Wiwa), African (Bantu), and Spanish colonial influences.
Era: Emerged in the 1940s from coastal Colombia, urbanized mid-20th century, with global fusions appearing in the late 20th and 21st centuries.
