Cueca

Cueca (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkweka]) is a family of musical styles and associated dances from Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. In Chile, the cueca holds the status of national dance, where it was officially declared as such by the Pinochet dictatorship on September 18, 1979.
While cueca's origins are not clearly defined, it is considered to have mostly European Spanish and arguably indigenous influences. The most widespread version of its origins relates it with the zamacueca which arose in Peru as a variation of Spanish Fandango dancing with criollo. The dance is then thought to have passed to Chile and Bolivia, where its name was shortened and where it continued to evolve. Due to the dance's popularity in the region, the Peruvian evolution of the zamacueca was nicknamed "la chilena", "the Chilean", due to similarities between the dances. Later, after the Pacific War, the term marinera, in honor of Peru's naval combatants and because of hostile attitude towards Chile, was used in place of "la chilena". In March 1879 the writer and musician Abelardo Gamarra renamed the "chilena" as the "marinera". The Marinera, Zamba and the Cueca styles are distinct from each other and from their root dance, the zamacueca.
Another theory is that Cueca originated in the early nineteenth century bordellos of South America, as a pas de deux facilitating partner finding.
The usual interpretation of this courting dance is zoomorphic: it tries to reenact the courting ritual of a rooster and a hen. The male displays a quite enthusiastic and at times even aggressive attitude while attempting to court the female, who is elusive, defensive and demure. The dance often finishes with the man kneeling on one knee, with the woman placing her foot triumphantly on his raised knee.
In Bolivia, there are many variations throughout the different regions. Cueca styles of La Paz, Potosí and Sucre are the elegant and static versions, whereas in Cochabamba and Tarija the style is much livelier and free. The same could be said with the music where in different regions rhythm and speed slightly differ amongst the regions. While dancing, handkerchiefs are used by both male and female dancers by twirling over the head. It is said the twirling of the handkerchief is a way to lure the woman.
In Chile, the cueca developed and spread in bars and taverns, which were popular centers of entertainment and parties in the nineteenth century. During Fred Warpole's stay in Chile between 1844 and 1848, he described some characteristics of the dance: guitar or harp accompaniment, hand drumming or tambourine for rhythm, high-pitched singing, and a unique strumming pattern where the guitarist strums all the strings, punctuated by a slap on the guitar body.
The Chilean cueca is not just Zamacueca; it is a blend of different dances of the time, with Zamacueca being just one influential aspect. The Chilean cueca is highly structured in terms of dance, lyrics, and music, akin to early European dances from colonial times. While the genre does incorporate some Afro-oriented aspects like Zamacueca, cueca represents a fusion of various genres. To understand its evolution, one should observe the different Spanish, European, and popular dances of the era. The Arab-Andalusian influence is considered the most significant contribution to cueca in all aspects—dancing, singing, and tempo—and is regarded as its primary root.
During the second half of the nineteenth century, cueca spread to various Latin American countries, where the dance became known simply as the "chilena" (Chilean). In Argentina, cueca first appeared in Cuyo, in the central west of the country near the Chilean border, documented as early as around 1840. Unlike the northeast and central west, in Buenos Aires the dance was known as "cueca" rather than "chilena", with documented presence from the 1850s onward. Similarly, in Bolivia, like much of Argentina, the dance was referred to as "chilena". Chilean sailors and adventurers carried cueca to the Mexican coast, specifically in Guerrero and Oaxaca, where the dance was also called "chilena". In Peru, the dance became immensely popular during the 1860s and 1870s and was also known as the "chilena".
During the twentieth century, cueca became associated with the common man in Chile, and through them, the dance spread to pre-industrialized urban areas such as La Vega, Estación, and Matadero, which were on the outskirts of Santiago at the time. In the 1970s, cueca and Mexican music enjoyed similar levels of popularity in the Chilean countryside. Due to being distinctly Chilean, cueca was chosen by Pinochet's military dictatorship to be promoted.
Cueca was officially declared the national dance of Chile due to its significant presence throughout the country's history, announced via a public decree in the Official Journal (Diario Oficial) on November 6, 1979. Emilio Ignacio Santana, a cueca specialist, argues that the dictatorship's appropriation and promotion of cueca had negative effects on the genre. According to Santana, the dictatorship's endorsement resulted in the wealthy landlord (huaso) becoming the icon associated with cueca, rather than the rural laborer.
Cueca sola [es] is a solo variant of the cueca created in 1978 by Violeta Zúñiga and other members of the Association of Families of the Detained-Disappeared (AFDD) as a non-violent protest against the Pinochet dictatorship. In this form of cueca, a woman (arpillerista) dances alone while holding a photograph of her disappeared loved one.
During the television campaign advertising the "No" option in the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite, a group of women (played by real-life relatives of the disappeared) performed the cueca sola. This powerful display of resistance was later re-enacted by surviving members of the group for the 2012 Academy Award-nominated film No, directed by Pablo Larraín.
The symbolic gesture of cueca sola inspired the 1987 song "They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)" by Sting.
The clothing worn during the cueca dance is traditional Chilean attire. Men typically wear a huaso's hat, shirts, a flannel poncho, riding pants, short jacket, riding boots, and spurs. Women wear flowered dresses.
The cueca dance itself symbolizes a rooster-chicken relationship. The man initiates the dance by approaching the woman and offering his arm. The woman then accompanies him, and together they walk around the room. They eventually face each other, each holding a handkerchief in the air, and begin dancing. Although they do not touch physically, they maintain contact through facial expressions and movements that convey flirtation and courtship.
Throughout the dance, it is customary for the pair to wave a white handkerchief, which is an essential element of the cueca.
The basic structure of the cueca is that it is a compound meter in 8 or 4 and is divided into three sections.
Some differences can be noticed depending on geographical location. There are three distinct variants in addition to the traditional cueca:
Currently, the cueca remains a vibrant tradition primarily celebrated in Chilean countryside regions, especially during the national holidays on September 18th. Cueca tournaments are popular events held around this time of year, showcasing regional variations and styles.
In Bolivia, cueca styles vary significantly by region: cueca paceña, cueca cochabambina, cueca chuquisaqueña, cueca tarijeña, cueca potosina, and cueca chaqueña. While they share a common rhythm, each style differs in speed, costumes, and mannerisms. Cueca styles in La Paz, Potosí, and Sucre are known for their elegance, whereas in Cochabamba and Tarija, the dance is characterized by liveliness. In Bolivia, it is often referred to as "cuequita boliviana".
In Argentina, cueca is danced in various ways across different provinces, predominantly in the northern and western regions such as Mendoza, Chaco, Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca, and La Rioja. Each Argentine province has its distinct style and approach to dancing cueca.
Tarija, Bolivia, boasts a few traditional songs accompanied by dances, one of which is the cueca tarijeña. Despite sharing its name with dances from other departments, such as the cueca paceña representing La Paz, each department's dance varies significantly. The cueca tarijeña is known for its upbeat, fun, and playful nature compared to others that are more tranquil. Additionally, Tarija was the first place to incorporate a violin into the song, adding flair and excitement. Since its origin, the cueca has been a source of happiness for dancers due to its lively music and the requirement for partners to engage enthusiastically with each other.
The cueca is danced with a handkerchief, symbolizing affection for others. Participants start with the handkerchief in their right hand, twirling it near their shoulder and then waving it by the left side of their waist on certain beats. Throughout the dance, the man seeks to impress his partner with his dancing skills. The dance reflects Bolivia's male-dominated gender roles; while men perform intricate movements and spin, women mostly sway their hips. It is designed for women to showcase their beauty and for men to display their talent. The women follow the male lead, who decides whether to flirt by placing the handkerchief near her neck and shoulders, hold it behind her neck with both hands, or simply wave it near his shoulder and waist if he chooses not to flirt. This determines whether they will continue dancing together in the next part of the song or find other partners.