Guillermo Ayoví Erazo

Guillermo Ayoví Erazo (November 10, 1930 - September 10, 2022) better known as Papá Roncón was an Afro-Ecuadorian musician, singer, and marimba player.[1][2]

Guillermo Ayoví Erazo
Guillermo Ayoví Erazo
Background information
Birth nameGuillermo Ayoví Erazo
Also known asPapá Roncón
Born(1930-09-10)September 10, 1930
Borbón, Esmeraldas, Ecuador
DiedSeptember 30, 2022(2022-09-30) (aged 92)
Borbon, Esmeraldas, Ecuador
OccupationsMusician
Awards: Premio Eugenio Espejo (2011)

Life

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Ecuador's National Assembly praising Guillermo Ayoví Erazo and Petita Palma.

Papá Roncón was born in Borbón, Esmeraldas, Ecuador on November 10, 1930. He learned to play the marimba at an early age with the Chachi people. He began to make himself known in the 1970s, first in his village, and then at national and international levels, with tours in the United States, Venezuela, Colombia and Japan. In 2001 he received the Premio Eugenio Espejo for his contribution to the Ecuadorian culture through the practice and teaching of the marimba and traditional dances.[3] He also directed several films, including documentaries.

In July 2007, he and Petita Palma were invited to Ecuador's National Assembly where a plenary session was conducted in honour of the two of them.[4]

Legacy

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He was the founder of the school of traditional culture 'La Catanga',[5] through which he taught dozens of children and youth to play and dance marimba in the province of Esmeraldas.[6]

Personal life

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He was married to his wife Grimalda for over 50 years and they had ten children, 14 grandchildren, and about 8 great-grandchildren.[7]

Death

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Papa Roncón died on 30 September 2022 at the age of 91 in Borbón, Esmeraldas.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Papá Roncón, the musician who was born on the river (Spanish article)
  2. ^ Influencias africanas en las culturas tradicionales de los países andinos. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deportes. 2001. ISBN 9789583331039. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  3. ^ List of winners of the Premio Eugenio Espejo and Spanish biographies Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Papá Roncón y Petita Palma condecorados por Asamblea de Ecuador". El Universo (in Spanish). 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  5. ^ "El legado de 'Papá Roncón'". El Diario. November 6, 2016.
  6. ^ "Homage to Papá Roncón (Spanish article)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  7. ^ Papá Roncón, the guardian of the marimberian tradition (Spanish article)
  8. ^ death in 2022
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