Punto Guajiro owes its origin to the festivals of Creole landowners and lower-class Europeans, known as guateques. During these festivities, songs were sung and accompanied by plucked string instruments. The instrumental format of the guajiro ensemble in its early days consisted of harmonic instruments introduced from Spain, along with their derivatives, and also percussion instruments derived from Africa.

In Cuba, by the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, the décima was already known throughout the population. During this period, the décimas of Father Capacho and Francisco Pobeda, among others, were prominent. Its most famous exponent was Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo, whose verses are still sung by our people today.

Cuban Punto uses a triple time signature. Different modes are employed, the most common being the Hypophrygian (Greek tonal system). For guajiros, they are tonadas (the tonada is the melody sung during Punto, performed a cappella or with different instrumental ensembles) in major. The texture of Puntos is homophonic; the instrumental accompaniment flourishes or plucks in the introduction and in the spaces where the singing ceases.

This musical genre is the lifeblood of the guateque: guitar, tres, triple, lute, clave, güiro, and guayo are musical instruments that accompany the Punto, while the performers spice up the festivities with improvisational disputes. They are visibly divided: each one, and their audience, represents a side, clearly distinguishable by the color of their emblem, which may well be a scarf tied around their neck.

Each region of Cuba has its own unique style: Punto Libre in the western region, Punto Fijo in the Camagüey, Santi Spíritus, and Ciego de Ávila areas.

In Punto libre, the singer sets the tempo as he or she pleases, which facilitates improvisation and limits accompaniment. Punto fijo, on the other hand, allows the singer to maintain the same rhythm and exact measure: the lute and guitar continue, while the clave never stops playing. Hence, it is also known as punto de clave. Other variants include the so-called punto espirituano and punto matancero. A common variant of the punto fijo is punto cruzado, in which the singer sings syncopatedly over the accompaniment. Less common is the seguidilla, which is the singing of several tenth notes without interruption.

Although it is practiced in urban and suburban areas, Punto Guajiro, also known as Cubano, constitutes the greatest expression of Cuban music from our rural class.

Cuban Punto, the oldest musical expression of Cuban nationality, is still fully alive today and has a secure future.

Literature:

Esquenazi, Martha: Del Areíto and other sounds, Editorial Letras Cubanas.