Cachaceros
Space 03
Cachaceros
One of the most representative cuadrillas of San Martín.
Horse. Black or zaino
Enter the roomSan Martín de los Llanos, Meta, Colombia
La Casa de los Trajes Vivos
The House of Living Costumes
The costumes still breathe.
A virtual museum devoted to the memory of the Cuadrillas of San Martín de los Llanos: a family, equestrian and heritage tradition, passed down from generation to generation.
What are the Cuadrillas?
Declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation, the Cuadrillas of San Martín are an equestrian ballet whose origins go back to the year 1735. Through ten traditional games on horseback, forty-eight riders stage the history of the Americas and of mestizaje, the blending of peoples, divided into four representative groups: Galanes (Spaniards), Moros (Arabs), Guahibos (Indigenous people) and Cachaceros (Black people).
- 1735
- Origins
- 48
- Riders in the ring
- 10
- Equestrian games
The festival
Through ten equestrian games, the events that gave rise to the identity of San Martín and of the Colombian territory are staged. In the plaza, Galanes and Cachaceros form alliances to face, in simulated combat, the Arab Moros and the Indigenous Guahibos. After measuring themselves in acts of war and peace, the cuadrilleros intertwine to celebrate the lasting brotherhood of these four cultures.
More than costumes
These costumes are not mere outfits: they are material carriers of memory, identity and cultural transmission.
Every garment, mask, headdress, sword, flag, necklace and piece of horse gear holds relationships with families, artisans, cuadrilleros, local history and the land.
Heritage does not stand still: it is kept, interpreted and transformed through the participation of the community.
The costumes still breathe. Every piece keeps a memory, a family and a way of continuing to belong to San Martín.
Four cuadrillas, four rooms
Galanes, Moros, Cachaceros and Guahibos meet in the Legacy Plaza, the heart of the museum. Each cuadrilla has its own room, with its curatorial text, its pieces and its audio guide.
Cachaceros
Guahibos
Space 04
Guahibos
The memory of the original peoples of the llanero territory.
Horse. Chestnut or alazán
Enter the room
Galanes
Space 05
Galanes
Also called Spaniards
Solemnity, order and authority within the Cuadrillas of San Martín.
Horse. White or moro
Enter the room
Moros
Space 06
Moros
Also called Arabs
The memory of distant cultures, ancient tales and movements full of color.
Horse. Bayo or yellow
Enter the roomTwo ways to visit
Both paths lead to the same heritage, and neither requires signing up.
Explorer
Discover the museum
Follow the suggested route, from the façade to the project room, listening to the audio guide of each space.
Researcher
Browse without the tour
Go straight to the room you are looking for and read its curatorial text and the files of its pieces. The heritage catalog with extended files is in preparation.
A house that keeps growing
The museum is the center of the platform. The other modules open little by little, once their content has been reviewed and authorized.
Open
Home
An introduction to the world of the Cuadrillas and an invitation to explore.
Open
Virtual 3D museum
A walk through La Casa de los Trajes Vivos.
Open
Noé Gutiérrez Gallery
Contemporary art, illustration, photography, animation and digital works.
Open
The project
Methodology, research, results, partners and credits.
In preparation
Heritage catalog
Files of costumes, accessories, objects, photographs and 3D models.
In preparation
Archive and memory
Audiovisual records, historical photographs, testimonies and authorized documents.
In preparation
Conservation and knowledge
Teaching materials, good practices and transmission processes.
In preparation
Documentaries
Audiovisual productions related to the Cuadrillas.
Author’s object
The parqués of the Cuadrillas
An illustrated parqués board (the Colombian cousin of ludo) with the four riders, printed with an invitation to visit the museum. It is part of the Noé Gutiérrez Gallery.