Pajaritera Memory: Following the Traces of the Son de Pajarito Dance in Zapayán, Magdalena

Abstract

This article presents an ethnographic study based on the collection of historical sources, oral testimonies, and documentary analysis of the "Son de Pajarito," a traditional baile cantao (sung dance) that originates from the rural practices of communities on the right bank of the Magdalena River, specifically in the municipality of Zapayán, in the department of Magdalena, Colombia. This danced expression, which in some regions takes on an imitative character—representing through bodily movement the dynamics and gestures of surrounding birds—serves in other areas as a form of courtship or recreational dance, where bird-like movements are not necessarily imitated.
The research problem arises from the scarce academic documentation and the progressive neglect of this cultural manifestation within its own territory, a situation that endangers its continuity as intangible heritage among the riverside communities along the Canal del Dique. In this regard, the central purpose of the study is to make visible, analyze, and revalue the Son de Pajarito as a meaningful practice that integrates elements of identity, collective memory, and human development within rural contexts, where life revolves around culture, agricultural labor, fishing, and cattle raising.
The justification for this research lies in the pressing need to strengthen safeguarding processes for intangible cultural heritage, especially for those expressions—such as the Son de Pajarito—that encapsulate the knowledge systems, sensibilities, and ways of life characteristic of Afro-descendant and peasant communities in the Colombian Caribbean. Furthermore, this practice is recognized not only as a form of aesthetic expression but also as a mode of cultural resistance in the face of processes of homogenization, displacement, and the erosion of memory that threaten local cultures. Although the dance presents regional variations, the scope of this study is limited to the municipality of Zapayán, considered an emblematic territory for its ongoing relevance, symbolic configuration, and social reproduction.