EL DIA DE LA CANCION CRIOLLA

Today I going to talk about my favorite celebration in Peru: “Criolla music day”. Criolla
music day is celebrated on October 31. Thousands of Peruvians families gather to celebrate
this traditional day on this date.
Día de la Canción Criolla was originally established as a Peruvian festivity in 1944 by
President Manuel Prado as a move to promote criolla music among other Peruvian music.
Criolla comes from the word “criollo,” which refers to the mixture of Peruvian indigenous
and European. So criolla music is a kind of Peruvian music that was developed in the coast
of Peru by the criollos, mixing Peruvian, European, and African instruments and tunes.
Criolla music is usually played by two basic instruments, acoustic guitar and cajón (a box-
shaped percussion instrument developed in Peru). The songs are usually about romance or
Peru. That is why we love our Peruvian music, because the songs convey wonders and love
for the country.
A typical celebration of día de la canción criolla is called “jarana” in Spanish. Jarana
includes live criolla music, beer, and dancing. But, unlike other parties, this one focuses
mostly on enjoying the music and singing along, not on partying for the sake of partying or
for the alcohol. That is why many times jaranas can be enjoyed by the whole family, can
take place during the day, and are accompanied by criolla food (that is, Peruvian food from
the coast).
For this reason I like to celebrate criolla music day.