Vallenato
Vallenato is a popular folk music genre from Colombia. It mostly comes from the country's Caribbean region.
Name
Vallenato means "born in the valley." The valley where it got its name is located in northeast Colombia, between Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Serranía de Perijá.
The name also applies to the people from the city where this genre came from: Valledupar (from the place named Valle de Upar – "Valley of Upar").
Importance
In 2006, vallenato and cumbia were added as a category in the Latin Grammy Awards.
Colombia's traditional vallenato music is Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, according to UNESCO.