A new NPR series, Cumbia Across Latin America, is charting the musical journey of cumbia-a genre born from cultural fusion and now a defining sound of a continent-through a bilingual visual exploration of six countries and the United states. Photographers Karla Gachet and Iván Kashinsky spent years documenting the people and places sustaining this vibrant tradition, offering a compelling look at cumbia’s evolution and enduring power.
Cumbia’s story is inextricably linked to the history of Latin america itself. Originating on Colombia‘s Caribbean coast during the colonial era, the rhythm-a blend of African, Indigenous, and European influences-initially served as the soundtrack for the working class. It has as become a symbol of Latin American identity, accompanying waves of migration from rural areas to cities and across international borders. This series highlights how cumbia continues to adapt and thrive, absorbing local styles and resonating with communities from the Ecuadorian Andes to Los Angeles.
The project, supported by the National Geographic Explorer program, features English and Spanish language picture shows and a curated playlist, offering audiences a multi-faceted experience.Gachet and Kashinsky’s work reveals cumbia not as a static genre, but as a living, breathing cultural force.
Listeners and viewers can access the series, launched in December 2022, through NPR’s website, exploring the cumbia’s presence in Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and the United States.
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