1496 Chinese Origin of Tango
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 07:23:13 -0700
From: NANCY <ningle_2000@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Chinese Origin of Tango
Estimados Listeros,
Re the discussion of Chinese tango, see:
https://pythia.uoregon.edu/~llynch/Tango-L/1996/msg00026.html
for a humorous history of tango from its origins in
China to the present day.
Dr. Ramon Sison wrote this little piece which was
printed in El Firulete and also posted to this list in
June of 1996 by his friend William Cheorvas. I found a
hard copy in my papers and confirmed that it can be
found in the Tango-L archives about fourth posting
down at the above site.
Enjoy!
Nancy
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 10:59:59 EDT
From: Mallpasso@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Chinese Origin of Tango
I suspect the aforementioned names in Dr. Ramon Sison's very entertaining and
creative dissertation of the history of Chinese Tango must be rolling in
their graves with laughter.
El Bandito de Tango.
In a message dated 7/7/2003 07:25:49 Pacific Daylight Time,
ningle_2000@YAHOO.COM writes:
> Subj: [TANGO-L] Chinese Origin of Tango
> Date: 7/7/2003 07:25:49 Pacific Daylight Time
> From: <A HREF="mailto:ningle_2000@YAHOO.COM">ningle_2000@YAHOO.COM</A>
> To: <A HREF="mailto:TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU">TANGO-L@MITVMA.MIT.EDU</A>
> Sent from the Internet
>
>
>
> Estimados Listeros,
>
> Re the discussion of Chinese tango, see:
>
> https://pythia.uoregon.edu/~llynch/Tango-L/1996/msg00026.html
>
> for a humorous history of tango from its origins in
> China to the present day.
>
> Dr. Ramon Sison wrote this little piece which was
> printed in El Firulete and also posted to this list in
> June of 1996 by his friend William Cheorvas. I found a
> hard copy in my papers and confirmed that it can be
> found in the Tango-L archives about fourth posting
> down at the above site.
>
> Enjoy!
> Nancy
>
>
Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 04:26:34 +0000
From: Sergio Vandekier <sergiovandekier990@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Origin of Tango
Where there is no documentation or witnesses the reconstruction of a fact
such as the origin of our tango has to be product of our imagination.
The place a brothel, or perhaps a gathering after work around a fire in
preparation for a barbeque, or a party in the patio of a "conventillo"
(boarding house),where "trios" (three musicians) playing different
instruments such as violin, guitar and flute entertain the patrons; there is
no written music,
the musicians improvise following melodies suggested by some of the
assistants. Somebody sings what he heard in a candombe of blacks and to have
fun does some convoluted movements, the musician thinks that that sounds
like an Habanera he has in mind and mixes both melodies, somebody else adds
something that sound more like a milonga. Everything is utilized into a new
hybrid music that is pleasant to hear and good for dancing.
The time is 1875. These first hybrids of milonga, candombe and habanera
started to circulate and to be reproduced by musicians that played them as
they remembered them. Some sounded more like milongas, some more like
habaneras, all of them with some part of candombe. You will recognize that
some of the early tangos are very close to the milonga (el portenito, el
esquinazo, etc.).
The periphery of the city was a point where different human types gathered.
Gauchos from rural areas that brought cattle to the city market, compadritos
that lived in the area together with immigrants from all over the world plus
sailors and white boys of middle class. They all patronized bars, academies
or pirigundines, to gamble, to drink, to fight, to meet women, to sing and
to dance. Those places hired trios of musicians to entertain.
It is said that in the brothels patronized by poor people the women were
either black or native indian while in the others women were mostly from
France and Poland they all danced very well.
Summary: a melting pot of blacks, gauchos, immigrants, sailors and white
middle class boys gathered in certain places to have fun. Their main
entertainment, among other things was to play music, to sing and to dance.
It was here that tango was born.
These customs are rooted in the Argentine Culture. There are houses in every
neighborhood today ,where people gather to socialize, to play guitar or
other instruments, to dance and also to play cards, ping pong, other games,
etc.
My parents house was such a place, these gatherings took place everyday,
when about 10 or 15 people would show up in the evening to play guitar and
to sing.
Some of them became well known tango singers, later on, such as Jorge Valdez
(one of Juan D'Arienzo's singers), who was from my neighborhood of Villa
Urquiza...and no my parents house was not a brothel :)).
The first fascist military dictatorship took over the government in 1930.
This type of government outlawed prostitution. The governments that
followed, fiercely enforced such prohibition.
I never saw a prostitute in my life :((, till I went to Montevideo (Uruguay)
at age 20 with some friends,... we had to shorten our vacation as we run out
of money very fast.:))
Prostitution has been legal for the last several years. The girls still
dance tango, milonga and vals.
Good night to everybody.
Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 06:57:26 -0700
From: Jean-Pierre Sighe <jpsighe@SIGHES.COM>
Subject: Re: Origin of Tango
>>>Where there is no documentation or witnesses the reconstruction of a fact
such as the origin of our tango has to be product of our imagination.>>>
Yes...Provided...
Provided the mind flirting with the imagination has become emancipated from
the temptation of distorting the facts to satisfy a very selfish and myopic
undertaking and has adopted the fertilizer of the love for truth...
Provided the mind has rejected prejudice and racism and has adopted the
fertilizer of justice and equality...
Provided the mind has rejected the spiritual disease called ungratefulness
and has adopted the fertilizer of wonderment...
Provided the mind has rejected the poison of hypocrisy and has adopted the
fertilizer of grace...
Absent of these ingredients, the mind that dare to indulge in such a task of
replacing the threads missing from the canvas of historical weaving (that
were purposely removed by the unjust), will be committing yet another
injustice. It will only be able to spew platitudes, so poor they would not
induce any excitement whatsoever...not even in the mind of a child!
With these aforementioned ingredients cherished and adopted, the mind so
blessed would espouse true Freedom.
All of a sudden, what looks like a simple Salida in the eyes of the neophyte
becomes to the initiate, the introduction to an ineffable ritual, a holy
door to the world of Archetypes. From this door and in accordance with the
simple promise that all is in all, the initiate will encounter the vibration
that will slowly guide the voyage up to the first living being who once upon
a time, had conceived this beautiful step taken to the side. The Assumption
takes place and the initiate is now entering a trance-like state sustained
by the Music of Love. Another step taken...and another one follows. Then
comes the zenith point of the composition where an almost nonchalant crossed
step marks a pause. Here, the magic of the embrace with another initiate, a
partner to the ritual, produces the first quiver with pleasure. The pleasure
will be prolonged with a partial conclusion of the beautiful art work
performed.
Yes, the violin, the bandoneon, the piano, some rhythmic instruments, all
connive to divine the connecting moment where time has now be suspended...A
warm and light breath, a perfume and a sense of being allow the partners to
recognize this place. TANGO! They murmur...
At some point, the embrace would have to be let go. It is part of the
protocol. It will be formed again, sooner than later and the initiates will
do it all over again.
To the just and truthful, Tango reveals itself. To the unjust and the
unloving, it remains a mirage...
Jean-Pierre S.
Keep unwanted email out.
Visit www.spamsubtract.com for more information.
Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 11:50:22 -0600
From: Bruno <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Origin of Tango
Sergio wrote:
>>>Where there is no documentation or witnesses the reconstruction of a
>>>fact such as the origin of our tango has to be product of our
imagination.>>>
My 2 cents:
I am not aware of any efforts on planned studies to find concrete evidence
on the origin of Tango. I am not an archeologist, but from looking at the
information available one place to look for evidence might be at the Plaza
Dorrego. Historians point out Plaza Dorrego as the location of a common
grave with remains from black people, who died as a result of yellow fever.
Best regards,
Bruno
