Hostel Colonial Buenos Aires

Back then, many of the people worked for the slaughterhouses. The Slaughterhouse (besides inspiring the first work of Argentine literature, a story named “El Matadero” -The Slaughterhouse- by Esteban Echeverría) was a symbol of everyday life. Today, 150 years later, a neighborhood called Mataderos (where the slaughterhouse still works) preserves in its Main Square a handicraft and popular tradition fair that relives that old rural Buenos Aires.

Since 1986, by the initiative of its actual coordinator Sara Vinocur, this fair settled in Mataderos with the objective of creating a permanent space for production and spreading of our traditional cultural roots. 24 years of working continuously have gathered here all the regions and small towns of Argentina through their rich cultural expressions and unique distinctive habits.

Besides the historical and architectural appeal (near is the Recova del Mercado that houses the Criollo Museum, historical monument from 1890), there are three basic areas to visit: the Traditional Handicraft area, the Artistic and Gaucho Skill Festival (traditional competitions on horses), and the Dance and Food area (including the famous Argentine empanadas and traditional folkloric dances).

The Fair opens on weekends at noon, in the Square located on the corner of Lisandro de la Torre Av. and De Los Corrales Av. You can get there by the buses number: 36, 55, 63, 80, 92, 97, 103, 117, 126, 141, 155, 180 y 185; o by taxi (it will cost you something like US$ 10 from Hostel Colonial, Downtown). For more information, visit the fair’s website by clicking here.

Para acceder a la versión en castellano, haga click aquí.

The element that brings together the varied folcloric rhythms is a percusive line in 6/8 or 4/4. The most famous percusive instrument is the “bombo legüero” (a bass drum with a cow skin drumhead). The agrupation completes with a spanish guitar and voice. Different instruments are added according to the specific rhythm or region where it’s performed. The lyrics focus on love, work and suffering issues related to the history, occupations and special features of each place.

The best known rhythmd are the zamba, the chacarera and the vidala (from the North West region), the chamamé (From the North East and Litoral regions), the cueca and the tonada (from Cuyo region) and the coplas (from Patagonia). The most representative artists are: Atahualpa Yupanqui, Los Chalchaleros, Ariel Ramírez, Mercedes Sosa, Antonio Tarragó Ros, Peteco Carabajal, Ramona Galarza, Horacio Guarany, Jaime Torres and José Larralde. The new breed: el Chaqueño Palavecino, Soledad, Los Nocheros, Jorge Rojas, Luciano Pereyra and Abel Pintos.

The classic place to enjoy folcloric music are the so called “peñas”. There, musics and dancers get together and people can join the party by dancing to their music or grabbing the instruments to show their skills. The evening also offerts traditional Argentine country food like empanadas, carbonada, meat pie, among others. Everything with a fine Argentine wine.

Some recomended “peñas” by Hostel Colonial are: La Peña del Colorado (3657, Güemes St, Palermo, www.lapeniadelcolorado.com.ar), La Cautiva (431, Alsina St, Downtown), Los Cardones (2180, Borges St, Palermo, www.cardones.com.ar).

Versión en español, haga click aquí.