About The Artist
THE PELUJÁNCANU is one of the most representative beings of Extremaduran mythology. Its adventures have been passed down by oral tradition since time immemorial throughout the remote mountains and valleys in the north of Extremadura, Spain; specifically in the region of Las Hurdes. Extremaduran mythology is closely linked to the Asturian and Cantabrian traditions, which have families of beings similar in forms and customs, such as the Nuberu and the Pataricu. These legends have been shared thanks to the influence of music and literature as well as everyday activities like transhumant shepherding.
The musical project “EL PELUJÁNCANU” was born out of the deep concern of five friends and musicians from Extremadura to preserve and raise the profile of their most ancestral folklore, renewing in the process the different musical forms that have survived to this day; in particular, flute and tambourine tunes, and songs associated with festivities. El Pelujancanu takes its name from the giant cyclops that embodies the forces of nature and is a faithful representative of Extremadura’s most ancient cultures. In the construction of the songs, both respect for tradition and a different way of seeing and understanding current folk music converge. One of the most important motivations for undertaking this project was to bring local mythology closer to the general public, especially its youngest members. For this reason, there has been an eagerness to use purely acoustic instruments, and to introduce unknown or forgotten sonorities in the region’s musical heritage.