“EL
TAMBORITO”
Panama’s Folklore
DEFINITION
“El Tamborito” means the little drum. The term is a derivative
of “El Tambor” which means the drum in Spanish. Historically,
drums have symbolic cross-cultural meaning such as to give signals,
to command, to summon, to call, to alert and to warn. Drums are also
percussion instruments used to produce music to entertain, as well as,
for special and solemn occasions.
THE FOLKLORIC DRUMS OF PANAMA
The native drums of Panama, the “Caja”, the “Pujas”
and the “Repicador” have special significance in Panama’s
folkloric tradition. They serve as the prime typical instruments to
lead and buttress Panama’s national dance, “El Tamborito”.
These drums are made of hollow cylindrical wood from local tree trunks
covered with tanned velum from thoroughly sun dried cowhide stretched
tightly over one or both circular ends of the receptacle, kept taut
and wound by hoisting chords made of hide or rope. They are played by
beating the head or heads repetitiously in rapid succession of strokes
with the hands or sticks to produce reverberating rhythmical sounds.
The “Caja” is a short and squat rhythmical drum that produces
staccato like tones. The “Puja” or Pujador gender is masculine.
It is a long and marrow deep tone drum that produces booming baselike
sounds. The “Repicador” gender is feminine. It is a long
and narrow drum that produces sonorous high pitched scaled melodious
sounds, which carries the rhythm of the dancers.
When all three drums are played together they create a symphonic spell
binding orchestration of rhythmic and melodic beat and sounds that intoxicatingly
titilates the aural senses, with a crescendo of arousing reverberations
that erupts into an ecstatic rhapsody that explodes into a spiritual
like orgasmic climax. Led by the drums, the “Tamborito”
dancers elegant grace and sensuous gyrations convey this passionate
journey.
EL TAMBORITO: The National Dance of Panama
“El Tamborito” is more than a dance. It is an expression
of the Panamanian grace, faith, hopes, desires, spirit and soul. It
is Panama’s local operatic performance. It is Panama’s typical
and folkloric musical theatre. The performance displays an elegant and
dramatic synergy of singers (“Cantalantes”), dancers and
drummers. The performance usually depicts themes revolving around the
joys and anguish resulting from the attraction between men and women.
An example, of the seductive poetry and romantic “double entendre”
of the “Tamborito” is briefly illustrated in this popular
“Tonada”:
Translated:
“Panameno, Panameno Panamanian Panamanian
Panameno, vida mia Panamanian,
my life
Yo quiero que tu me lleves I want you to take me
Al tambor de alegria To
the drum of joy
When dancing the “Tamborito”, the dancers sensuous movement
and suggestive gestures are usually in response to the pulsating vibrations
and rhythmical reverberations of the hypnotic drum beats. A favorite,
classic is the “Tambor Empollerado” where Panama’s
national dress is worn by the dancers. The decoratively frilled and
embroidered gown, “La Pollera” is worn by the woman and
“El Montuno” is worn by the man. There are many who swear
that a woman is more seductive robed in a “pollera” than
Venus de Milo disrobed.
