IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 5 ENGLISH | Page 118

plastic toys, sequins, Christmas ornaments, tiny mirrors, disposable razors,
toy watches, small, battery-operated
lights, etc. Toy guns and woolen Boleadores (throwing weapon), and wooden
knives and swords are the weapons used
in the pantomimed battles. Given the
importance of hiding one’s identity,
they use fake voices and deny their
names. Properly, they would be called
Cambara’angá, Cambacito or Cambá
(Cirio 2003a and c).

side drum. However, in all cases, the
drummer hangs the drum on him self in
banner-like fashion and strikes on of the
drumheads with a drumstick. It is uncommon for these drummers to incorporate traditional dance rhythms, or Cumbia (since the 1980s) for San Baltazar
(Chamamé and Valseado).
This kind of drumming stands out in
this music’s texture, as it has the leading role in it. Players confirm that it is
the “saint’s voice” and “the symbol of
Africanness.” Thus, unlike with common percussion instruments, the tambora does not just accompany, but rather is accompanied by the rest; its
sound is considered to be the saint’s
presence at these feasts. Their musical
performances give the event a religious
overtone and activate a symbolic process of Africanization that actors understand only within the context of this
specific worship tradition (Cirio and
Rey 2008).

Another instrument that is played only
during the saint’s festive cycle is the
Tambora (a kind of drum). It is played
at about 10 of the chapels in Corrientes’s central and eastern regions, and
north of Santa Fe. This is where most of
the chapels with Cambara’angá. The
native model of this drum is about 35
cm tall and 30 cm in diameter. The
body of the instrument consists of a
series of wooden staves connected on
the inside by a wire that is in turn connected to 2 inner, iron hoops. This is
what the drumheads consist of. The
staves are not made of any particular
kind of wood; the ones usually used
come from produce crates. They are
connected, but there is small space between them that allows for some light to
shine through. The drumhead material
can be made from the skin of brockets,
dogs, cattle or deer from the swamps.
They are used to cover both openings
and partially line the outside of the
drum. Straps of the same material join
the two drums.

Image of San Balthazar by Daniel
Francia. Resistence
(Department of San Fernando, Chaco),
2005 © Diario Norte)

In some north-central chapels, tubular
Bombos are used (either in their natural
size, or small, toy-like ones); at another
chapel, what is used is a long, narrow,

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