I celebrated with my 3 dollar pair of green Ralph Lauren shorts. I'll admit I thought they were kind of ugly when I first saw them at Dillard's (at their original price). A few months later they were put on the three dollar rack- they didn't seem so ugly then (Ralph Lauren's for 3 bucks!). For that kind of deal I was going to "make it work."
Amanda had a little bit of green on her bracelet so I refrained from pinching her.
I had another folklore lesson today (I've also seen it spelled folclore but who knows?).
I had another folklore lesson today (I've also seen it spelled folclore but who knows?).
This is my teacher Luis
We were learning about the chacarera- this drum is a bomba leguero. A legua -or league- is approximately 5Km; this drum is so named because when played en al campo (countryside) it can be heard 5Km away.
The chacarera is a type of rhythm from the Argentine province Santiago Del Estero- directly north of the Cordoba province. (I think it's also from the Salta province)
This is a charango- a small high pitched little instrument that originated in the Andes- in Bolivia I think. I'm enjoying learning about the different instruments and rhythms and the various provinces they are from.
We played a really pretty song called "Chacarera del Chilalo." Chilalos are little birds (the actual word is from an indigenous dialect of Quechua); the rest of the lyrics talk about the beautiful mountains, aromas of the flowers in bloom, indigenous plants and trees.
There are a few lines in the third estribillo (chorus):
Se entreveran los tum-tum
de bombos legüeros
de hachas, de malambos
y de criollos morteros.
That talk about the "tum-tum" of the bombos legueros, sounds of axes (cutting wood or whatever), malambos (folk dancers- malambo is a type of dance), and of morteros (mortar and pistil grinding wheat or herbs).
mortero
malambos
Malambo is an Argentine folk dance for men only. I did some research (google) and found out that during the 19th century gauchos would show off their dance skills with the malambo (around pit fires and at parties). When we visited Buenos Aires a while back, we went to LA BOCA; I remember there being malambo dancers as well as tango dancers performing on the stages at the little cafes. There was a lot of jumping and pounding with the feet- I can easily see why it was compared to the sound of the bomba leguero and axes chopping wood.
I'm really enjoying my folklore lessons and I can tell Luis enjoys teaching me. He is excited to show me new rhythms, draw me maps of Argentina showing me where the rhythms are from, he explains the lyrics of the songs and why the lyrics are important. Folklore from the northern regions talks about the countryside and carnival whereas folklore from Mendoza (the wine province) will compare things to vino (wine) and vineyards and so on. Songs with the chamame rhythm from the provinces of Corrientes, Misiones, and Entre Rios (near Buenos Aires and south of Brazil) have lyrics talking about the rios (there are two main rivers) and about fishing and so on. It's all really interesting.
*So, my dad teases me over the phone. He tells me to take my new, fancy guitar and play it on the street in front of our house- so I can catch me a cute Argentine boy. Well...
Amanda, Mareen (our new roommate from Alemania- Germany) and I were walking home last night and I had my guitar with me (after my folklore lesson). As we walked past the corner kiosk, two guys said something to get my attention- I looked back and they started asking about my guitar. We start talking (and Amanda comes back to see what held me up) and they ask if I have time to sit and play- I did.
After playing the first song they clapped and then we started talking some more- their names were Cristian and Alejandro, they lived a few blocks away (we didn't tell them where we live) and they were our age. They started asking if I knew any folklore music (lucky that I did right?) and then Alejandro asked me what other types of music I listened to (at this time Amanda was talking to Christian). All of a sudden we saw our tango teacher- Francisco- walk across the street to his car (Amanda LOVES Francisco and swears she will kiss him before leaving Argentina); Amanda ran across the street to say hello and Christian's brother drove by so Christian went off after him to say hello.
Are you still with me?
Alejandro: you have very pretty eyes...
Malena: Awwww, thank you... (look away and go back to my guitar)
Alejandro: Do you have a boyfriend?
Malena: No.
(Back to when Amanda and Christian walked off)
Alejandro: Can I have a kiss?
Malena: swallow... Ummm, a beso? (mind you- he was speaking Spanish so I did a double take)
Alejandro: Sí
Malena: NO! (awkwardly avert my eyes and go back to playing)
NOT even a few minutes later...
Alejandro: please, un beso...
Malena: Ok...acá. (point to my cheek)
He kisses my cheek
Alejandro: a kiss for me?
I kiss his cheek. (awkwardly go back to my guitar)
Amanda comes back with a dreamy look in her eye. Alejandro says something about loving the way I play or loving my playing. I cue Amanda that it's time to go; we say our friendly goodbyes and go home.
I don't know that my dad realized there was some truth in his words when he teased me about playing on the street. (This isn't the first time I've been invited to sit down and play... after my first lesson, a street vendor selling movies had me sit and play. Another guy my age stopped and talked to me... I even made a small tip!)
The chacarera is a type of rhythm from the Argentine province Santiago Del Estero- directly north of the Cordoba province. (I think it's also from the Salta province)
This is a charango- a small high pitched little instrument that originated in the Andes- in Bolivia I think. I'm enjoying learning about the different instruments and rhythms and the various provinces they are from.
We played a really pretty song called "Chacarera del Chilalo." Chilalos are little birds (the actual word is from an indigenous dialect of Quechua); the rest of the lyrics talk about the beautiful mountains, aromas of the flowers in bloom, indigenous plants and trees.
There are a few lines in the third estribillo (chorus):
Se entreveran los tum-tum
de bombos legüeros
de hachas, de malambos
y de criollos morteros.
That talk about the "tum-tum" of the bombos legueros, sounds of axes (cutting wood or whatever), malambos (folk dancers- malambo is a type of dance), and of morteros (mortar and pistil grinding wheat or herbs).
mortero
malambos
Malambo is an Argentine folk dance for men only. I did some research (google) and found out that during the 19th century gauchos would show off their dance skills with the malambo (around pit fires and at parties). When we visited Buenos Aires a while back, we went to LA BOCA; I remember there being malambo dancers as well as tango dancers performing on the stages at the little cafes. There was a lot of jumping and pounding with the feet- I can easily see why it was compared to the sound of the bomba leguero and axes chopping wood.
I'm really enjoying my folklore lessons and I can tell Luis enjoys teaching me. He is excited to show me new rhythms, draw me maps of Argentina showing me where the rhythms are from, he explains the lyrics of the songs and why the lyrics are important. Folklore from the northern regions talks about the countryside and carnival whereas folklore from Mendoza (the wine province) will compare things to vino (wine) and vineyards and so on. Songs with the chamame rhythm from the provinces of Corrientes, Misiones, and Entre Rios (near Buenos Aires and south of Brazil) have lyrics talking about the rios (there are two main rivers) and about fishing and so on. It's all really interesting.
*So, my dad teases me over the phone. He tells me to take my new, fancy guitar and play it on the street in front of our house- so I can catch me a cute Argentine boy. Well...
Amanda, Mareen (our new roommate from Alemania- Germany) and I were walking home last night and I had my guitar with me (after my folklore lesson). As we walked past the corner kiosk, two guys said something to get my attention- I looked back and they started asking about my guitar. We start talking (and Amanda comes back to see what held me up) and they ask if I have time to sit and play- I did.
After playing the first song they clapped and then we started talking some more- their names were Cristian and Alejandro, they lived a few blocks away (we didn't tell them where we live) and they were our age. They started asking if I knew any folklore music (lucky that I did right?) and then Alejandro asked me what other types of music I listened to (at this time Amanda was talking to Christian). All of a sudden we saw our tango teacher- Francisco- walk across the street to his car (Amanda LOVES Francisco and swears she will kiss him before leaving Argentina); Amanda ran across the street to say hello and Christian's brother drove by so Christian went off after him to say hello.
Are you still with me?
- Amanda is across the street with stars in her eyes talking to Francisco, the biologist with a P.h. D who teaches tango in his spare time...
- Christian is down the street a quarter of a block talking to his brother...
- Alejandro is sitting next to me and asking me questions while I mess around on the guitar...
Alejandro: you have very pretty eyes...
Malena: Awwww, thank you... (look away and go back to my guitar)
Alejandro: Do you have a boyfriend?
Malena: No.
(Back to when Amanda and Christian walked off)
Alejandro: Can I have a kiss?
Malena: swallow... Ummm, a beso? (mind you- he was speaking Spanish so I did a double take)
Alejandro: Sí
Malena: NO! (awkwardly avert my eyes and go back to playing)
NOT even a few minutes later...
Alejandro: please, un beso...
Malena: Ok...acá. (point to my cheek)
He kisses my cheek
Alejandro: a kiss for me?
I kiss his cheek. (awkwardly go back to my guitar)
Amanda comes back with a dreamy look in her eye. Alejandro says something about loving the way I play or loving my playing. I cue Amanda that it's time to go; we say our friendly goodbyes and go home.
I don't know that my dad realized there was some truth in his words when he teased me about playing on the street. (This isn't the first time I've been invited to sit down and play... after my first lesson, a street vendor selling movies had me sit and play. Another guy my age stopped and talked to me... I even made a small tip!)
Best first kiss story EVER!!!
ReplyDeleteI need to get a guitar and learn how to play. Actually the girls here tempt the guys with stillettos and booty shorts with tights. There is no way then I guess.
*lol* Woot woot! Go Malaina! You look thinner, by the way. :-)
ReplyDeleteBe careful those Latin boys! They are nothing but trouble! And you do look great!
ReplyDeleteI would have told him to take me on a date first!
ReplyDeleteThis is the greatest story ever!!
ReplyDeleteOMIGOSH! you're so lucky!!! was he cute??
ReplyDelete