TANGO and GAUCHOS

HISTORY of the TANGO:

Tango is shared by the cultures of both Uruguay and Argentina. It is said that Tango was born in the brothels of Buenos Aires. However, it was probable that members of the upper and middle class first encountered it in the brothels since this is the only place they mixed with the immigrant classes. Brothels were places of entertainment for the working classes, and just as in New Orleans years later, the Madams would employ jazz artists like Jelly Roll Morton to entertain men while they waited, brothel owners in Buenos Aires would employ Tango musicians.

With many customers and few working girls, there would be lines, and it's a safe bet that the men would practice dancing with each other! Potential wives and sweethearts lived in tenements (conventillos) and you had to be a good dancer to win one of these brides. So possibly Tango was born in the courtyards of the tenements instead of the brothels. It was very likely that someone might play a guitar, or a violin or the flute, and from time to time they'd gather together to play the popular tunes of the time and other residents would take the opportunity to dance. This would provide a moment of joy in what was probably a very hard and lonely life.

THE ARGENTINE GAUCHOS:

Gauchos were cowboys or herdsmen living in the Pampas (grassy plains) in both Argentina and Uruguay from the mid 18^th to mid 19^th centuries. They were primarily of mixed Native American and Spanish descent and were known to be skillful and courageous riders. They earned their living on cattle ranges or by illegal horse and cattle trading at the Brazilian frontier. Their adventures are legendary -- as are their weapons used for capturing wild horses and cattle, often for their hides. These included lassos and bolas, a cord and weight type of sling thrown to entangle the legs of the quarry.

Gauchos are easily recognizable by their flat, brimmed hat; baggy trousers; expertly crafted leather boots; a wide belt of silver or coins; a woolen poncho and colorful scarf. Their hardy and independent lives live on in folklore and they are regarded as heroic figures. Modernization of cattle-raising techniques and leather processing led to their demise.