Arena Season 1, Episode 430

An Argentinian Journey: 2: Zamba, Chacarera and Chamame · BBC Four · Saturday, April 18

Three films which take a journey through the rich musical heritage of Argentina. In the vast regions from the plains of the Pampas to the provinces of the north, three distinct styles of music and dance evolved: the zamba, the chacarera and the chamame. Their precise origins are lost, but they developed in the 19th century from pre-colonial dances and the instruments and music brought by the European settlers and their African slaves. These traditional styles are still the popular music of the whole of northern Argentina where some of the musicians are professional and some are workers who play at festivals and at the weekend, sometimes just for their own families.