What is Candombe?
Candombe is a style of music and dance that originated in Uruguay, among the descendants of liberated African slaves. This Uruguayan music style is based on three different drums: chico, repique, and piano drums. Candombe is performed by a group of drummers called a cuerda. Transmitted within families of African descent, the candombe is recognized as an expression of resistance as well as a Uruguayan musical celebration and collective social practice deeply interwoven in the daily life of these neighbourhoods.
Origins & Lineage
The seeds of candombe originated in present-day Angola, where it was taken to South America during the 17th and 18th centuries by people who had been sold as slaves in the kingdom of Kongo, Anziqua, Nyong, Quang and others, mainly by Portuguese slave traders. Candombe originated in Uruguay between the 18th and 19th century, developed by Africans and their descendants that were taken to South America through the slave trade. The birthplace was Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, in the Rio de la Plata region.
The evolution of candombe begins with the Salas de Naciones, which were comprised of similar African ethnic groups during the years of slavery that would gather together when permitted; later with the Sociedades, which were organizations formed after abolition; and then to the conventillos or barrios where they were relegated to in the beginning of the 20th century only to be torn down during the years (1973-85) of civic-military dictatorship. One of the earliest historical documents tracing Candombe music is an 1808 police record, when citizens of Montevideo requested that these dances be severely repressed and completely prohibited.
By the late 19th century, the black community in Montevideo formed comparsas. These are groups of singers, musicians and dancers that perform outdoors in carnivals and other festivities. In 2009, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed candombe in its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
How It’s Practiced
They are single skin headed and there are three sizes: piano (bass range), repique (tenor range), and the chico (alto range). The barrel-shaped drums, or tamboriles, have specific names according to their size and function: chico (small, high timbre, marks the tempo) repique (medium, syncopation and improvisation) piano (large, low timbre, melody). They are worn at the waist with the aid of a shoulder strap called a talig or talí and played with one stick and one hand.
The drums are the repique, piano and chico drums, of varying sizes, and each of which is struck alternately with the hand and with a stick, on the side or on the skin, which is tuned before playing by placing it near a bonfire. It is played on the side of the drum, a procedure known as “hacer madera” (literally, “making wood”). A key rhythmic figure in candombe is the clave (in 3-2 form).
Every Sunday and on many holidays, the llamadas de tambores de candombe or candombe drum calls enliven the Sur, Palermo and Cordón districts in southern Montevideo, Uruguay, home to a population of African descent. The practice of the candombe begins around communal fires as people gather to tune their drums and socialize before beginning their march. Once underway, the drum-call parade is led by the most prestigious members, from families recognized by the community for their drumming for many generations; other drummers are organized behind them in rows, and informal participants, dancers and spectators march alongside or watch from balconies.
Comparsas include archetypal characters: Mamá vieja (old mother) is the elder spiritual guide and the wisest woman in the community. Meanwhile, the gramillero (herb man) represents the healer of the African peoples. The Escobero is a younger athletic man who does acrobatics with a headless broom, meant to dazzle and wow watchers.
Candombe Today
It is usually played in February during carnival in Montevideo at dance parades called llamadas and desfile inaugural del carnaval. All the comparsas, of which there are 80 or 90 in existence, participate in a massive Carnival parade called Las Llamadas (“calls”) and vie with each other in official competitions in the Teatro de Verano theatre. In 2006, the government of Uruguay declared the 3rd of December to be the National day of Candombe, the Afro-Uruguayan culture and racial equality.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s candombe was mixed with elements from 60s pop music and bossa nova to create a new genre called candombe beat. The origin of this genre was largely said to be the work of Eduardo Mateo, a Uruguayan singer, songwriter and musician together with other musicians such as Jorge Galemire. In the 20th century, candombe entered the popular music scene and was incorporated into pop, rock, jazz, and other genres. Pioneers included 1960s candombe rock trailblazers El Kinto; and 1970s jazz-rock fusion supergroup Opa that included three highly influential musicians, Ruben Rada (former El Kinto member), Hugo Fattoruso and Osvaldo Fattoruso.
To a lesser extent, candombe is practiced in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. In Brazil, candombe retains its religious character and can be found in the states of Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul.
Common Misconceptions
Candombe is not Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition. Though they share African roots and similar-sounding names, they are distinct practices from different regions with different functions—Candomblé is a religion centered in Brazil, while candombe is a secular drumming and dance tradition from Uruguay.
Candombe is not exclusively a carnival spectacle. The most important and representative manifestation of candombe drumming is the llamada de tambores: a large group of drummers playing the characteristic candombe rhythm–also called ritmo de llamada–while marching through the streets. This is a traditional practice on weekends and holidays in certain parts of the city. The February carnival parades are the most visible expression, but neighborhood llamadas occur year-round.
Scholar debate exists about the origins of carnival characters. George Reid Andrews, author of “Blackness in the White Nation: A History of Afro-Uruguay,” has described how some candombe celebrations included blackface comparsas during colonial times called lubolos, which means “white painted black.” Andrews also wrote that the Mama Vieja and Gramillero characters were created by the lubolos. However, other scholars believe that these characters were created by enslaved Africans, also called the naciones, or nations, who were brought to Montevideo in the 18th century.
While originally performed exclusively by Afro-Uruguayans, eventually, Uruguayan carnival comparsas became integrated, combining people of all races and ethnicities. Today people of all backgrounds participate, though the tradition remains rooted in and transmitted through Afro-Uruguayan families and neighborhoods.
How to Begin
To experience candombe authentically, visit Montevideo’s historic Afro-Uruguayan neighborhoods—Barrio Sur, Palermo, and Cordón—on weekend evenings from September through February, when comparsas practice in the streets. Drums typically begin around 6:30 p.m. as groups gather around communal fires to tune their instruments before marching.
For a more structured introduction, attend the annual Desfile de Llamadas parade held every February during Montevideo’s Carnival, where dozens of comparsas perform in full costume. Tamborilarte has a music school and store as well at José E. Rodo 1994, Esq J. D. Jackson in Montevideo. Museo del Carnaval includes candombe drum exhibits.
For listening, seek recordings by foundational artists Ruben Rada, Eduardo Mateo, and the groups El Kinto and Opa. Contemporary artists Jorge Drexler and Jaime Roos also integrate candombe rhythms into their work. There are three basic candombe rhythms (ritmos madre). Toque de cuareim hails from the Barrio Sur neighborhood in Montevideo. Toque de ansina from the Palermo neighborhood and toque de cordón from barrio Cordón. Cuareim has a slow pace, while ansina and cordón are faster.