Agua Larga, Traditional music and maroon imaginary

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Agua Larga offers an immersion in the Afro-Ecuadorian culture of the province of Esmeraldas, in the northwest of Ecuador. How does this culture, several hundred years old, born of the history of slavery and marooning, fit today in terms of sound into the daily life of its inhabitants? On the banks of the Cayapas River, in a sugar cane field, on a beach in the South Pacific or at the port of Esmeraldas, the musical material dialogues with soundscapes, stories, poetry, spoken or singing voices. Rhythms, melodies, instruments and voices testify, in the same way as the sounds of everyday life, to the richness of an oral culture which is still not enough recognised.

With the music and poems of Jakson Ayovi, Amada Cortes, Martin Ayovi, Benjamin Vanegas Loor, Bleidis Yareni Prado, Alicia, Maria Orovio, Ru Dei, Tai y Dalia de la noche de Jesús de Nazareth, le groupe Sangre Negra, Jhony Eddy, the cucuruchos from Selva Alegre, Etnia group and Boris de Borbón. 

A sound documentary by Félix Blume and Chloé Despax

With the participation of (in order of our meetings): Jakson Ayovi, Ines Morales, Doña Vilma Estacio Abad, Yadira Mercado Mina, Amada Cortez, Jhony Eddy, Anai Garbache, Doña Nuris Gloria Vivas Urtado, Daniel Ortiz, Maria Orovio, Ru Dei, Tai, Alicia, Dalia, Cucuruchos de Selva Alegre, Jose Caicedo dit Don Nacho, Hermogenes Nolasco Caicedo Ayovi, Martin Ayovi, Senen, Groupo Sangre Negra, Bayron Castillo, Grimio Lerma, Saranyi Castillo, Miguel Armando Quintero Valencia, Moises Quiñonez Ayovi, Policarpo Tascon Garcia, Wilfrido Medina dit Boris de Borbon, Grupo Etnia, Marco Arroyo Marin, Tito Cuellar Fajardo, Jackson Arroyo Ordonez, Joshua Martinez Valencia, Benjamin Vanegas Loor, Bleidis Yareni Prado, Flor de Mangle, Linver Nazareno, Jose Mora, Misael Quiñonez, Javier Medina, Marlong Vilela, Karina Soliz, Ariel Rosado and Luis Delgado.

Sound recordings were realized in Esmeraldas province at : San Lorenzo, Casa del Pobre, Borbón, Selva Alegre, Santa Maria Cayapas, Telembi, Trinidad, Timbire, Esmeraldas, Camarones y Muisne.

Thanks to all the artists, storytellers, poets, musicians and inhabitants of the visited villages, and also Melissa Proaño Cerutti and her family, Juan Pablo, Lexa, Paulina, Silvio Chiripua, Jaime Corozo Peralta, Gladys del Hotel Selva Alegre, Lorena, Domingo, Profe Chiche, Ana María Caicedo Corozo, Cruz Caicedo, Dalia, Denice, John Alfonso, Amparito, Jairo Martinez, Hotel Galapagos and Maria-Elena.

And everyone who accompanied the project in its preparation: Andrés Cornejo Pinto, Orlin Montaño, Alex Schlenker, Fredy Vallejos, Fernando Montenegro, Yuliana Ortiz, Ana Carrillo, Rafa Estrada and Julio Ramos.

This project is possible thanks to Fonds d’Aide à la Création Radiophonique de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, it was produced by Radio Panik with the support of l’Atelier de Création Sonore Radiophonique (Brussels). The project is supported by Akuphone label and we will publish a vinyl record.

Release date: 2022
Broadcast and listening sessions: Radio Panik (Fr), Radio Campus (Be), Radio Alma (Be), Radio Escapades (Fr), Radio Ara (Lu), Radio Octopus (Fr), Vidéodrome (Marseille, Fr), RTBF Par Ouï-Dire (Be), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Fr), Casa del Lago (Mx, 2023),