CHAMPETA

Champeta–also known as “Creole Therapy”–is an highly danceable genre of Afro-Colombian music that finds its inspiration in the historical struggle between the Afro-Colombian population and Colombia’s European-descended upper classes. It was born in the early 1970s in the slums of Cartagena and San Basilio and it’s said to have arrived with the sailors from West Africa which gives it a strong drum beat. This, along with the influence of styles such as salsa, reggae, and even reggaetton, make up Champeta’s identity. Its name derives from the term “champetudo” which was applied to residents of African descent as a way of expressing disapproval of their culture and traditions; that’s why it was despised by the upper-middle class because it was considered the music of thugs and of the poor. Therefore, it was music that people rarely admitted to liking if they were not from the slums. So, the history of champeta is also the history of slavery and mistreatment in Colombia and, like many other styles, it was also used as a way of expressing thoughts and beliefs.

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Every Thursday 10am you can join Champeta class with Elkin at JR FITNESS.