Colombian-Venezuelan llano work songs

Tonadas, Milking Songs and Llano Work

The Colombian-Venezuelan llano work songs (Cantos de Trabajo de Llano), The plainsongs are those improvisations that the cowboys sing a cappella, during their daily chores, especially in milking tasks, during work in the savannahs, collecting cattle or horses, and in the corrals, curing or branding (identifying) cattle and horses.

The Cantos de Vaquería of the Colombian-Venezuelan Llanos, Intangible Heritage of Humanity declared by UNESCO.

Colombian-Venezuelan llano work songs are a practice of vocal communication consisting of tunes sung individually, a capella, on the themes of herding and milking.

The practice emerged from the close relationship between human communities and cattle and horses and is in harmony with the environmental conditions and the dynamics of nature, forming part of the traditional animal husbandry system of the Llanos. Transmitted orally from childhood, the songs are repositories of the individual and collective stories of the llaneros.

At the end of 2017, the "Work songs of the Llano region", a centenary manifestation of Colombian-Venezuelan culture, was recognized by Unesco and entered the World Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

In the City of Jeju, Republic of Korea, during the twelfth session of the Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Unesco, said inclusion was approved, clarifying that the risks identified in this cultural expression must be addressed immediately.