Now that the holiday season is beginning, I can’t think of a better moment to bring gaita to the forefront. Venezuelan folk music is largely dominated by two genres, joropo and gaita, both of which are regional in nature but national in popularity. Gaita, in particular, is essentially linked to Zulia. It was born there and its lyrics usually revolve around Zulian themes. It’s consistently considered the main cultural expression of Zulian folklore. At the same time, it’s not usually identified with a specific way of life—unlike joropo linked to Venezuelan farmers in the Llanos—but with a specific season of the year: gaita is the quintessential Venezuelan holiday music. There’s an essential difference that sets it apart from traditional Christmas carols, though. By José Alberto Vargas La Roche. Full Text -> CaracasChronicles

Traducción de cortesía -> Ahora que comienza la temporada navideña, no puedo pensar en un mejor momento para llevar la gaita a la vanguardia. La música folclórica venezolana está dominada en gran medida por dos géneros, el joropo y la gaita, ambos de naturaleza regional pero de popularidad nacional. Gaita, en particular, está esencialmente vinculada al Zulia. Allí nació y su letra suele girar en torno a temas zulianos. Siempre se la considera la principal expresión cultural del folclore de Zulia. Al mismo tiempo, no suele identificarse con una forma de vida específica, a diferencia del joropo vinculado a los agricultores venezolanos en los Llanos, sino con una estación específica del año: la gaita es la música navideña venezolana por excelencia. Sin embargo, hay una diferencia esencial que lo distingue de los villancicos tradicionales.

Las patinatas, “the skating,” “is most definitely real,” the Venezuelan-born Coromoto Power told me by phone from England, where she and her mother Beatrix now live. “It’s like a mini-festival. There’s just loads of people that turn up in a park, and there’s music. Imagine Central Park, with its paths and so on, and you skate around and sing Christmas songs.” By Jim McDermott. Full Text -> AmericaMagazine

For Venezuelan chrismas traditions the book -> Navidades para chamos venezolanos. ->Amazon

Traducción de cortesía -> Las patinatas, “the skating,” “is most definitely real,” the Venezuelan-born Coromoto Power told me by phone from England, where she and her mother Beatrix now live. “It’s like a mini-festival. There’s just loads of people that turn up in a park, and there’s music. Imagine Central Park, with its paths and so on, and you skate around and sing Christmas songs.”

For Venezuelan chrismas traditions the book -> Navidades para chamos venezolanos. ->Amazon