It is clear that the appreciation of local heritage runs through multiple generations and has not been overshadowed by modern music trends like rock and roll from the US and cumbia from Colombia.

BBC: Stepping into Salta��s folklore culture

But in late summer, for the five days of the Petronio Alvarez Pacific Music Festival, salsa takes a back seat to the diverse sounds of Colombian Pacific music like cumbia and currulao, and its cacophony of percussion instruments, like the marimba.

BBC: A little liquid courage in Cali, Colombia

The blending of various local traditions permeates numerous aspects of the carnival, particularly dances (as exemplified by the mico y micas from the Americas, the African congo and the paloteo of Spanish origin), musical genres (the predominant cumbia and variants such as the puya and porro) and folk instruments (tambora and allegre drums, maraca, claves, etc.).

UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage