Colombian artists mesmerise city audience at cultural fusion fest

Latinos and Punjabis share a love for dance. It's like embedded in their DNA. Colombia, among the Latin American countries, has the most diverse sets of indigenous and traditional dance forms, influenced by the African, Spanish and indigenous cultures. Witnessing these cultural influences through spirited and nuanced performances by Colombian artists, the Khalsa College Public School today hosted a 17-member artist delegation from across the oceans and continents.

The ‘Fusion of Music’ event marked the inter-culture folklore as Colombian artists today enthralled the audience with their foot-tapping performances during the 12th Amritsar International Folk Festival held at Khalsa College Public School (KCPS). The Latin American musicians and dancers performed with the Punjabi artists as they shared the stage, depicting multicultural mileage.

The festival, organised by Khalsa College Governing Council, in collaboration with Punjab Cultural Promotion Council (PCPC), exhibited a fusion of two cultures as Punjabi and Colombian group of dancers set the stage on fire. Wearing their traditional, colourful dresses, the artists took to the stage with enthusiasm and won hearts with their well-orchestrated dances and melodious singing. The Colombian group Palma Africana, while giving folk presentations of their native country, also joined the host school students in Gidda, Bhangra and other performances, adding spark to the cultural bonanza.

“The world needs to heal and it can only be done through music, dance and crossing physical, geographical barriers that keep us from exploring other cultures,” said Maria Del Carmen Melendez Valecilla, the leader of the group and a folk artiste for over three decades. Maria said that the group presented rural dance forms like Cumbia, an iconic and most popular dance from her country.

The group also presented several other forms like Merengue, a rural folk dance form, which is listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at Unesco in November 2016. Stringed instruments, guiro and percussions are what builds the melodious rhythms of this dance close to salsa.

The group also introduced the audience to their culture and traditions though Danza del Sol (Sun dance), an indigenous dance form representing community and harmony between nature. Also, they presented some female initiation dance forms, which are exclusive to indigenous tribes from the Amazon region that also reflects on the social and cultural practices. “These dances are performed when children come of age and in case of women, they are not quite mainstream. Colombia has a lot of multicultural influences in its folk and rural art forms, which tells a lot about our history and largely in the context of Latin America. From ceremonial dances to folk, celebratory and dances connected to harvest and mainstream pop culture, we have similarities with India in terms of a rich art tapestry,” said Natiuska Quintero Cabrera, a third generation folk artist from Colombia. The delegation was mesmerised, though by Giddha and Punjabi food as they now plan to explore more of it in the coming days.

KCGC secretary and Khalsa University Pro-Chancellor Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said such inter-cultural festivals provide opportunities for students to interact and perform together for better understanding between diverse cultures.

Meanwhile, PCPC head and Khalsa College Global Alumni Association Convenor, Dr Davinder Singh Chhina, said that it was the 12th festival in the series and they were commemorating 25 years of its global participations and exchanges, aimed to globalise the heritage of holy city.