Tondero Piurano
The prolonged wait for spring to arrive in Lima has had me thinking of Piura, a sun-drenched paradise rich in creole culture.
The video below is of the famous Tondero dance of Piura.
The tondero is not only a dance though, it is also the department of Piura’s hymn. It is sung by rural workers dressed in long shorts and women with colourful blouses. The lyrics serve to evoke the true memory of Piura, or by its old name San Miguel, and after which it was named:
San Miguel, San Miguel,
San Miguel at dawn,
San Miguel at midnight,
San Miguel at dusk.
The man servants take the maids to the floor waving handkerchiefs, while the guitar players strum this celebrated verse that every Peruvian has heard at least once in a lifetime.
