Musical landscapes: The indigenous sound expressions of Los Pastos and its relationship with the andean territory of Nariño, south-west of Colombia

Abstract

According to the mythology of the indigenous people of Los Pastos, located inthe Andes of the department of Nariño, southern Colombia, their origin is the result ofthe union between the Cumbal Volcano and the Laguna de la Bolsa. This mythologicalorigin has allowed them to develop a cultural expression, related to their worldview andgeographical environment, very particular. This document explores the profound relationshipbetween geography and music in the indigenous people of Los Pastos. To do this, based onan ethnographic work, visiting the territory and interviews with the musicians SabedoresMajors, we investigate this relationship by studying the structure and the indigenous musicalexpression of the so-called mare bands of this ethnic community. It is established that threefactors that configure indigenous musical expressions: the originating factor, product of hisworldview in relation to his geographical environment; the external factor, as a constant ofmusical syncretism; and the geographical factor, which has made the territory of the ethnicpeople of Los Pastos a place of intercultural encounter.