Historical Facts of Cajon You Need to Know

Historical Facts of Cajon

Not many people are adept at playing Cajon but do not know where the origin of the instrument is. Even for the pronunciation, they are often wrong. Cajon is usually pronounced ‘ka-hon,’ a word from Spanish that means ‘box.’

This hollow box is a six-sided percussion instrument that is played by tapping its sides with fingers, hands or various other instruments such as drumsticks. Cajon is usually made of layered wood and generally has a thickness from 1.3 cm to 1.9 cm on five sides, and in the main part, a field to be tapped or beaten is a function of the sixth thinner board.

Okay, for more details about the origin of this musical instrument, try to see the discussion below.

Cajon began in the 18th century

Historical fact says that Cajon originally came from the country of Peru. The Spaniards colonized Peru in the early 18th century. For the lives of Peruvians, this is the darkest event that has ever happened.

Cajon began in the 18th century

At that time, Spain forbade Peruvian slaves from playing any instrument. Peruvians who are inherited with musical talent and taste then find it difficult to obey the rules set. Their lives are always associated with music. Finally, they find a way out to solve the problems they face. They decided to print wood that was not used as a box instrument—made in the form of a city to reduce the possibility of being caught by the Spaniards for playing music.

Cajon as a symbol of freedom

In another source, it was explained that the birth of the Cajon instrument symbolized their longing for freedom, the right to life, togetherness, and independence. With the Cajon instrument in the form of this city, they are suppressing their awareness of the values of life and human dignity. They are aware of how they feel who are humiliated, verbally abused, raped, trampled on, and underestimated. They recognize that as humans, they also have the right to be treated as humans.

Cajon as a symbol of freedom

Over time, Peruvians have realized that the instruments they make can produce melodious sounds that are in perfect harmony with their traditional songs. Sometimes they play Cajon musical instruments to accompany their traditional dances. The beat and tone of the instrument make the dancers more energetic, enthusiastic, and lively. The instruments produced by Cajon are very meaningful to them, and no one can stop this preservation of music. Their efforts to preserve the Cajon were indeed successful. Even the Spaniards during the colonial period failed to prevent it. Many people are interested in Cajon songs that captivate. The use of box-shaped instruments is becoming more frequent from day today. Not only them, but even those who were called white people also began to play the instrument.

Cajon flourished in the 19th century

In the mid-19th century, Cajon reached the peak of its popularity. Because of migration and white exploration, Cajon began to be introduced to people all over the world. Nowadays, we can find a lot of music using Cajon collaboration with other instruments from the expansion of the colonizing nation. In almost every orchestra and musical performance, we can also see boxed instruments. Most modern and contemporary musicians prefer to use this box-shaped tool and collaborate with other instruments.

Cajon flourished in the 19th century

Until now, the Cajon became one of the most popular musical instruments and was liked not only by drummers but also by many others. The simple form is one of the advantages of Cajon musical instruments to be carried everywhere.