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Kaasha

“can you see those drums? They bring them from there, and if they divert the river, we will no longer have drums, we will no longer have nothing”

The beating of the Kaasha resonates in the arid landscape of La Guajira, Colombia; a territory where the Wayúu indigenous community have lived for centuries. The kaasha is the leading drum of various traditions and festivities of these peoples. Together, they maintain a tireless struggle for respect for their territory and their traditions which are constantly threatened by mega-mining projects that affect the rivers and the environment. The kashaa is made out of nature and local materials, so it contains the spirituality and the power of traditional Wayúu music.

Kaasha: Testimonials

Its first strokes are constant and are inviting sounds. Then they accelerate and decelerate according to what the musician and the instrument want. What does the kaasha invite? The dance of the Yonna, the ritual, the celebration, the request of a dream or the healing. The kaasha has a very deep connection with its community, because its presence, in addition to having a social and cultural significance, has a spiritual significance that is transmitted from generation to generation.

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