Definition of cueca - What it is, Meaning and Concept

In the first place, we can state that there are several theories about the etymological origin of the word cueca.However, one of the most accepted has come to determine that it derives from “clueca”, which refers to the chicken singing after having laid an egg.

The cueca is a dance originally from South America , traditional from countries like Argentina , Bolivia , Chile , Colombia and Peru .In this dance, people move a handkerchief that they carry in their right hand while doing half turns, turns and flowers.

This dance is danced in couple , consisting of a man and a woman .Man is generally supposed to invite For a woman to dance a cueca, she wishes to woo her, although the romantic interest is not an indispensable condition for dancing.

The origins of the cueca are not clear, although influences are noticed Spanish, African and aboriginal.It is believed that the jota and the fandango emerged the zamacueca , from which the cave would derive.

It is important to keep in mind that the cueca developed in different ways according to the country .That is why it is possible to differentiate between the Chilean cueca , the Bolivian cueca , the Argentine cave , etc.There are also numerous subgeneros within each national cave: the portca cave , the cueca brava , the cueca tarijena , the cueca cuyana and others.

In Chile it is one of the countries where the cueca is most important.In this country it is considered that its origin is possibly in the black slaves who came to this land on the way to Peru.However, it is true that there are different theories to respect.

In the cantinas it was where, during the nineteenth century, this dance was extended and popularized both inside and outside the country, and it is considered that thanks to Chilean adventurers and sailors, it came to other corners of the world as it would be the case, for example, of Mexico.

As for the composition as such, it should be noted that in Chile it is composed of fourteen verses that are distributed along a total of four stanzas, which are a couplet, two squads and a auction., it should not be overlooked that it lasts less than 2 minutes and develops at a rate of 6/8.

To all of the above, we must add that there are many issues that can be treated in a cave, however, among the most common are historical facts, love in all its extension and picaresque issues.

It should be noted that the cueca, in addition to a dance, is a musical genre .The cueca compositions are usually performed with instruments such as the guitar , the harp, the piano , double bass, accordion and drums.

While the cave lost popularity as the 20th century progressed, it still remains an important part of folklore South American. Chile , for example, declared the cueca as its "national dance" in 1979 , while a decade later established the National Cueca Day (September 17). Bolivia , meanwhile, named the Bolivian cueca as part of the cultural heritage of the country in 2015 .