
El Sanjuanero, often called simply Sanjuanero, (translation "St. John's Festivities Song") is a traditional Colombian
bambuco song. Its music was written in 1936 by Anselmo Duran Plazas and its lyrics were written by Sofía Gaitán Yanguas.
[Historia del Sanjuanero Huilense] It was first performed on July 12, 1936.
[Sanjuanero: Visión estética y amatoria del bambuco](_blank)
. and recorded for the first time in the 1950s by the duo Garzon y Collazos.
It's one of Colombia's most recognizable folkloric songs, and it is the anthem of the
Festival Folclórico y Reinado Nacional del Bambuco.
Accompanying dance
The traditional Sanjuanero choreography was created by folklorist
Inés García de Durán[Mapa folklórico Colombiano](_blank)
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028035810/http://www.estampascolombianas.com.mx/sitio/folklore.html , date=2010-10-28 . in 1960 and consists of three basic steps (caminado, bambuqueado, and contradanza), eight basic figures and five or more adornment figures.
Basic steps
*El Caminado
*El Bambuqueado
*Los Tres Cuartos
Role in festivities
El Sanjuanero is commonly associated with
Huila's
Festival Folclórico y Reinado Nacional del Bambuco celebrated each year, in
Neiva during the feasts of
Saint Peter
Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...
and
Saint John. The ''Reinado Nacional del Bambuco'' is a contest similar to
beauty pageants in which contestants, each representing a Colombian
Department, are judged on six parameters, one of which is performance of the Sanjuanero dance.
[REGLAMENTO GENERAL REINADO NACIONAL DEL BAMBUCO](_blank)
The Reinado's Official Rule Book.
References
Colombian songs
Bambuco songs
1936 songs