Chamamé is a folk music genre that is typically practiced in the Corrientes province. It comes from the rural communities of northeast Argentina, which attracted many Eastern European migrants. The immigrants brought with them European music, which merged with local music and African rhythms to create chamamé.
The migrants' history is reflected in the melancholy melodies. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, migrants moved to Buenos Aires seeking work and brought with them Chamamé. The Chamamé attracted wider attention in the city’s dance halls and cultural centers. Chamamé is influenced by Guaraní music, Spanish guitar, and European accordion. Their arrival in Argentina began at the beginning of the 20th century, and group members typically include accordion, guitar, and bass guitar.
Chamamé artist Raul Barboza enjoyed popularity and success in the 1990s. A national festival recognizing the Chamamé has been held for 30 years in the province of Corrientes. Every year, the 10-day festival is one of the longest of its kind in the calendar of summer festivals in South American countries. It showcases the performance of the chamamé.
One of Chamamé's key components is the close embrace, in which participants hold each other's chests to their chests and follow the music without choreography. Other elements include “musiqueada”, which consists of a party, a prayer, and “sapukay”, a typical phonation or cry accompanied by gestures and movements to convey various emotions such as joy, sadness, pain, and bravery.
The violin and the vihuela were the original instruments in Chamamé music. Later, the guitar, harmonica, the two-row diatonic button accordion, the bandoneon, and the double bass were incorporated. The lyrics and poetry were originally in Guarani, the regional native language. However, oral traditions of transmission have been passed on to the Yopará dialect. This is a combination of Spanish and Guarani.
Chamamé music and dancing are extremely prominent parts of the cultural identity of the region. They are social elements in community and familial gatherings, religious celebrations, and other types of events. Together, they form a shared culture that is shared by 30 million people.
Chamamé encapsulates human values such as love for one's land, living in harmony with other animals and plants, and a way of being. The Guarani expression of this tradition is based on points to the harmony between the human, natural, spiritual, and natural worlds. Chamamé is more than a dance. It also represents social values such as friendship, caring about nature, and living together in harmony.