Celebrating Zulianidad Day 2014

On January 28, 1821 the Governor of the Province of Maracaibo Francisco Delgado declared independence from the Spanish Government. That's how in 2002 on January, 28 the Day of the Zulianity is declared. On This day Zulianos celebrate their culture and traditions.

We celebrated the day listening to gaitas.. Gaita is a style of Venezuelan folk music from Maracaibo in Zulia State. According to Joan Corominas, it may come from gaits, the Gothic word for "goat", which is the skin generally used for the membrane of the furro instrument. Other instruments used in gaita include maracas, cuatro, charrasca and tambora (Venezuelan drum). Song themes range from humorous and love songs to protest songs.

The style became popular throughout Venezuela in the 1960s, and it fused with other styles such as salsa and merengue in the 1970s. Famous gaita groups include Maracaibo 15, Gran Coquivacoa, Barrio Obrero, Cardenales del Éxito, Koquimba, Melody Gaita, Estrellas del Zulia, Saladillo, and many others. The group Guaco started as a gaita group but now plays salsa. (wikipedia)

To celebrate Semana de la Zulianidad (Zulianity Week), we posted in our Facebook group some of the gaitas we liked the most and also we created Keep Calm posters to express our love for our region.

These are some of the gaitas our students recommended:

Paolita Alvarez recommended... Valiente - Energia Gaitera

"valiente quien en plena enfermedad ha decidido luchar
aferrándose a la vida.
valiente la mujer que es padre y madre nunca teme
echar pa’ lante siempre encuentra una salida.
valiente es la gente que veo y me encuentro a diario
valiente el venezolano que se friega trabajando."

Here you can find the lyrics to this great gaita. This gaita inspires people to go ahead and keep on walking.

 

Another great Gaita recommended by Fanny Piccolo

"Y así siempre ha de pasar,
que cada vez que escuchéis,
una gaita llorareis,
porque en mi,  te hará pensar,
con bellas prosas,
que a ti te harán recordar,
todas esas lindas cosas,
que no pudimos lograr. "

Here you can find the lyrics to this great gaita. This gaita is about love in a couple.. It's a classic of the zulianidad

Ana Karina Martinez Gamez recommeded ... Cuando voy a Maracaibo..

.....My favorite stanza is
"Todo zuliano que siente
su terruño en lo profundo
le parece que su gente
es la mejor de este mundo"

Here you can find the lyrics to this great gaita. This gaita describe the feeling we experiment when we cross the bridge Rafael Urdaneta to get to Maracaibo

 We also created Keep Calm Posters under the #zulianidad #urbe #doris3meflcenter #maracaibo

It was fun to listen to all those gaitas again.. and smile at the wonderful posters our Fireworks created to celebrate our roots. Thanks everyone.. You did just wonderfully...

Keep on shining love and peace!
Doris3m