About 3 hours by car south of Cartagena de Indias, in the middle of the Montes de María is a small and beautiful town called Ovejas.It maintains the name of one of the first haciendas that were formed at the end of century XVIII when the cattle ranch entered the zone. Near these haciendas, towns were formed with the laborers and sharecroppers who worked there. Since then its people live and work around cattle and tobacco, an essential crop in the village economy.
For about 30 years, when it arrives every October, its inhabitants celebrate the National Festival of Gaitas «FRANCISCO LLIRENE» in honor of the Devil of the drum who kept alive the custom of rejoicing the «bailes cantaos» and the «ruedas de gaitas».
This festival pays homage to the Gaita, an instrument of indigenous origin key in the mestization of our Colombian music.
For several days the town is full of groups coming from all over the region who come to play cumbias, porros, meringues and puyas for their people. Entering the night and under a tremendous downpour young people with modern crests, they catch their candles while they dance cumbia, flirt and enjoy each other like their grandparents did years ago.
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