Tanxugueiras is a young female Galician lyrical & traditional percussions trio created in 2016 by Aida Tarrio and the twins Olaia & Sabela Maneiro. This is their second CD, named ‘Contrapunto’ (‘Counterpoint’), although emphasizing the ‘Contra’ suffix, meaning of course ‘Against’. Against what? Injustice, despotism, discrimination, oppression,…
In their own words: “We are pandereteiras and we will continue to be, but we are also young women who want to sing to freedom and empowerment. A concern that already existed in popular literature and that now serve us to tell new stories, current stories, which speak of political freedom and decision, or friendship without ignoring the bitter face of life issues that censor the dictatorship, or address disappointment and disloyalty”.
Clearly there is a social and political commitment that permeates the messages in Tanxugueiras songs. A strong motivational resource that seems to be making a comeback. In some ways it resembles what happened in the folk music of the 1970s, and surely it is derived from today's conflictive situations around the world, and from a critical look at previous decades.
Despite their young age they have a song called 'Autocracia' (Autocracy) whose lyrics mention the days of the dictatorship of General Franco (1939-1976), times that the three girls could only know through the experiences of their older relatives and history books, but it sure still has a fresh imprint on today's Spanish society as a whole. And, of course, a feminist point of view colors many of the melodies & lyrics on the album: ‘Malquerenza’, ‘Desposorio’, ‘Maltraer’, ‘Miña Nena’, ‘Perfidia’…
All those intentions aside, there is abundant musical talent in the voices of the trio, and in the use of traditional percussions: pandeireta (tambourine), pandeiro (frame drum), cunchas (scallop shells),… Without forgetting that they wisely had the support of Isaac Palacin, percussionist of the late Galician group Berrogüetto.[14]
'Contrapunto' is a brave and beautiful sampler from one of the most committed bands in current Galician folk music.
Photo Credits:
(1)-(2) Tanxugueiras
(unknown/website).
