The Amphibian Man in the Musical Ecosystem of the Tambora Momposina: Diversity, Interconnectivity and Resilience

Abstract

In 1979, Sebastián Arroyo revealed “the secrets of the water and the land" to Orlando Fals Borda, who, from then on began to speak of the “amphibious man” culture. This analogy spread throughout the Depresión Momposina, being used both by its inhabitants and by researchers from various disciplines, including musicology. However, little is known about how this culture socially configures its musical knowledge in a secondary orality state. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the region and the analogies of amphibian man, musical ecosystem and resilience, this study explores the tambora of the Depresión Momposina and the effect that three events, both historical and musical, have had on its transmission and circulation processes. Finally, a musical analysis of the tambora from two territories is carried out to demonstrate how deep, interconnected and complex this musical ecosystem is.