Who is Kumana, and what are the “Runa Blues”?

Kumana is Aymara for a bundle of ceremonial elements and offerings. In Quechua to be a Runa is to be a dignified, rooted, communal being always in conversation with, inseparable from, the communities of spirits and the myriads beings of the natural world. In the great rush towards the false lights of some “better future progress” and “First World ideals” the term acquired a negative and venomous connotation in the mouths of the proponents of these goals. “These damn backward Runas! If they would just give up their old ways, become productive individuals, then we’d ALL progress!” Hell, we’re all familiar- and many of us have felt- this painful story. “These hillbillies/ol’ farmers/rednecks/ indians/blacks/wetbacks a- takin’ our jobs!!”

Our band Kumana is the creative tapestry woven by several extraordinary Bolivian and North American music partners. "Runa Blues" is our first record.

It is the full manifestation of the Appalachian-Andean cultural conversation that has been underway for more than a decade. We recorded the bulk of this new music in Cochabamba with an exciting medley of talented folks from Cochabamba, El Alto, La Paz, Italy, and Detroit via Los Angeles.

"Runa Blues" is now deepening its Appalachian roots with the impeccable musicianship of some of the core members of The Bearded, one of southern Appalachia's favorite string/Old Time bands. Two of Knoxville’s hardest-working recording engineers (Nick Corrigan & Brian Wojtowicz) have  been instrumental in harnessing the spirit of the work, in the exquisite music store/recording studio environment of Morelock Music right on historic Gay St. in downtown Knoxville.  Sound engineer/musician/professor T.J. Jones is chief engineer for the mixing and mastering of this intercultural musical tapestry.

Inside Kumana's blues there is no feeling of defeat. It is the creative space where dignified rebellion is safeguarded. This music collection is an homage to campesinos, miners, working class folk, indigenous brothers and sisters, African-American and Latino comrades … the folks often pinned beneath the wheels of progress. Each song is a musical dialogue that runs from the Appalachians to the Andes, a chorus of voices and melodies that arise from the “Venas Abiertas” of Las Americas.

The elements we bring are our different musical styles, the cultural and political struggles of our peoples, our spirituality and our histories. The songs are journeys along diverse pathways that embrace and extend through the wounded lands of Las Americas. They are sometimes calm, sometimes openly rebellious. Always festive, always meant to give nurturance, sustenance, warmth to the heart in calloused times.

The music is our kumana. We lay it at your feet amigos! It is music for regeneration and remembrance, a space for stoking the flames of festive rebellion and safeguarding the dignity of all of us… Runas. And remembering that…TODOS SOMOS HIJOS DE CAMPESINOS!

Kumana Band Members
Jack Herranen: acoustic guitar and vocals
Marisol Diaz: vocals
Tony Parker: bass guitar and vocals
Renan Chambi: charango and wind instruments

"Cochabamba Sessions" Comrades
Raquel Diaz:  vocals
Javier "el Pajarito" Caballero:  percussion
Panchi Maldonado:  guitar, harmony vocals, harmonica
Nina Uma:  spoken word
Roberto Miguel Paniagua Fuertes:  percussion
Viola Vento:  accordian

"Knoxville Sessions" Comrades
Kyle Campbell: dobro, banjo, trumpet
Jon Whitlock: percussion
Matt Morelock: banjo
Greg Horne: fiddle

Kumana and the “Runa Blues” is a communal tapestry, a cultural bridge across which collective history and memory passes. It is a collective responsibility to build and cross this bridge together.

Thank you for your generosity!

Once you’ve called up the ancestors, summoned the ghosts of history, well then you can’t take any half-steps afterwards.