The Ecuadorian Yaravi and Rondador. From Ancestry to Contemporary Music

Abstract

The yaraví as an Ecuadorian musical genre and the rondador as an instrument of archaeological origin from the same country, tell little-known archaeomusicological, pre-Hispanic, colonial and contemporary stories that mark identities, multi-border territories and ancient cultures. The richness of the yaraví comes from a development of indigenous and mestizo texts, melodies and rhythms, which have reflected festive, ritual, loving and mourning activities, until it became characterized in the 20th century as one of the traditional Ecuadorian genres of contrasting social spaces. The rondador, pan flute of the territory, for its part, presents traces of its existence from pre-Hispanic cultures such as Chorrera (1300-550 a.C.) and Jama Coaque (350 a.C. 1530 d.C.), up to the 21st century, with a development of physical and sound characteristics peculiar to the region. Both elements, yaraví and rondador, met to generate traditional music, as well as contemporary ones in which artistic and sound treatment techniques are unusual.

KEYWORDS: Yaraví, Rondador, Ecuador, Arqueo-ethnomusicology, Contemporary Music.