The uniquely Colombian music street culture known as Pico is in danger of disappearing
amid fears it's leading a youth subversion
Since the 1930s, across the poorer districts of Colombia's Caribbean coast flamboyantly customised
sound systems known as pico have been providing the music for vibrant street
parties notice for Verbenas
but recently some Colombian politicians are saying its influence is a vice
and a culture that promotes drugs brawls and even
youth pregnancy
With growing concerns that the culture could be banned and disappear completely
A number of Colombians are hoping to safeguard it for future generations by
spreading the movement internationally and they have their eye on Melbourne as
a potential safe haven
Barranquilla was pioneer city of radio in Colombia
Having the first Colombian radio station called La Voz de Barranquilla
El pico culture was originally born out of necessity
During the 1930s the cost of owning a
transmitting device was out of reach for most and those who could afford it will
play them on loudspeakers and so an unspoken competition for the loudest
speaker quickly developed into one that was decorated and broadcast across all
corners of the city combined with their psychedelic paintwork Pico and Verbena culture
became synonymous the small coastal city of Barranquilla
In Barranquilla we live and breathe pico there is no person that hasn't been linked with pico at
some point in their life I think that eradicating Pico is like ending carnival
Unfortunately the Pico has been demonised as a generator of violence
The dances are a little bit more dangerous than before
For many in Barranquilla the government's moved to ban pico is seen as an attack
on the poor
The verbena are made by the poor for the poor not the rich
the rich have their hotels they have their grills
and the poor can not have fun right now
While government officials suggest it's a measure to maintain peace and order
during a violent time in the nation's history
in January this year days before carnival
a leftist group claimed responsibility for the bombings of a
police station in Barranquilla that killed seven police officers and injured
at least 40 others
So what's the future for Pico?
Well I guess we have to wait
we can't predict what will happen but they have already been suppressed it's
not known if the government will change their current system but the
current policing and laws have ended pico
My name is Oscar Jimenez I'm an artists and music producer from Colombiabased here in Melbourne
Oscar is a part South to South a group that are trying to change the cultural narrative of
Colombia abroad
People from overseas are really admire about the people culture
and I think that Colombians put all the Colombian government should be more
aware of this
And launching the first pico made outside of Colombia is part of that
This unique culture that we have it should be celebrated, you know spread
and I think that's what's gonna happen if international support
comes on board since we want Australians to get to know what Colombian culture is
about and not just get stuck with the stereotype
Transporting a culture and keeping it intact is a complicated task
whilst Oscar doesn't expect an exact
replica of the neighbourhood streets in Barranquilla
He does believe the core values won't change and most importantly
Will keep it from disappearing