COLOMBIAN LLANOS

The Llanos Orientales of Colombia have an extension of about 250.000 square kilometers covered largerly by natural pastures. Its main river is the Orinoco, which forms part of the border between Colombia and Venezuela.

The floors are not very fertile but capable for the extensive cattle raising. The population is relatively scarce and it is dispersed along the plains.  The economy in The Plains is based mainly on the extensive cattle raising and in the extraction of petroleum. In the plains of Arauca is ubicated Caño Limon, one of the main oil locations of Colombia.

The Llanos Orientales is culturally dominated by the llanero. The llanero has very grateful particularities: he is hard-working and dedicated to the livestock upbringing (the cowboy par excellence of Colombia).

The folclor of the Orinoquía is based on rhythms from Spain, blended with the indigenous native music and African music. From this mixture were born diverse rhythms such as pasajes, joropo recio, seis por derecho, pajarillo, contrapunteo y galerón. Moreover, this region is characterized, in the instrumental environment, for the use of the strings in instruments such as el arpa llanera, el cuatro, la bandola, la bandolina and in some cases, el bajo acústico. These instruments accompanied by capachos o maracas, and el bajo cicerro make the llanera music the official rythm of this Colombian region.