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Untitled Document
500 Foreign student musicians
at Tuna festival
TU/e's Tuna and Tuniña student associations are
having the time of their lives this month. This Tuesday they serenaded
crown prince Willem Alexander and his fiancé Máxima.
In the weekend of the 20th, they are organising the sixth Tuna
festival in their respective 40 and 20-year histories, one the
largest of its kind internationally. "Now my only dream is
to serenade prince Claus", says Tuniña Paula Klasens,
a graduating Mechanical Engineering student.
The Tuna tradition originates in Spain, where mediaeval students
would travel from master to master to get an education. They would
basically sing for their supper whenever they could. Sometimes
the travelling student minstrels would spy a beautiful lady and
serenade her.
These days there are Tunas all over the world, mostly in Spanish
and Portuguese speaking countries. Even a ban on Tunas by Franco
couldn't end the tradition in Spain, where it has been coming
to life again in the past ten years. Most Spanish university faculties
now have their own Tuna chapters.
Tunas traditionally wear black clothes and black cape, with
a 'beca' or sash to show full membership of their organisation.
Their suits are decorated with various medals and emblems. The
black also dates back to the middle ages, when students would
look for the cheapest place to stay, which was often a monastery
where sober clothing was appreciated. Many modern Tunas and Tuniñas
pride themselves on the originality of their costume. "We
all have our own version of it. There's lots of room for individuality",
says Klasens.
Mrs Philips
TU Eindhoven has a strong Tuna tradition. It started in 1964 with
fresher corps members being told by older students to learn a
Spanish folk song and serenade Mrs Philips. This was such a success
that a serious Tuna chapter was set-up, the 'Tuna Ciudad de Luz',
or city of light Tuna. Since then members have taken part in international
exchange and festivals. Twenty years later the Tuna sister organisation
La Tuniña came into being when women students at TU/e decided
something along the lines of 'anything they can do we can do better'.
This feminine Tuna was the only one in the Netherlands for a long
time. Now there are a few others, for example the 'Tuna Feminina
Universitaria de Leiden'.
"In the beginning the guys had a hard time getting used to
the idea of women serenading their objects of desire," says
Tuniña Mirjam Voragen, a Mechanical Engineering graduate
currently working for VanderLande Industries as a project engineer.
"Twenty years down the line, there always seem to be friendships
and relationships between Tunas and Tuniñas. Some of us
have even found husbands among the Tunas. We get along well and
collaborate on festivals and trips. We have independent performances
throughout the country during the academic year. Playing together
for Willem-Alexander and Máxima was an exception to the
rule."
Aspiring Tunas and Tuniñas spend their first year proving
themselves. Some ragging goes on, but nothing more serious than
freshmen being told to get older members drinks. New members are
provided with free instruments and given free music and Spanish
lessons. The instruments played are various kinds of guitars and
lutes, accordions, flutes and percussion instruments such as the
pandereta, a smaller version of the tambourine. The groups practise
every Tuesday evening at the Peapod, a pub on the Aalsterweg.
Alumni
The two organisations are united in Stichting Certamen de Tunas
Eindhoven, the foundation organising a four-day Tuna Festival
from September 20 to 23 in downtown Eindhoven. Mirjam Voragen
has taken on the position of pr officer of the foundation. Ex-students
have played a big part in organising the festival and in finding
sponsors. The Tuna and Tuniña alumni associations number
about 70 members. "Why should we stop playing when we graduate?",
queries the pr Tuniña.
The festival attracted some 40,000 visitors last time it was held
in 1997. In 2001 the organisation expects at least as many people.
Some 500 Tunas and Tuniñas are expected from Spain, Portugal,
Mexico, Puerto Rico and Peru, whom the festival organisation is
putting up at the local Holiday Inn with the help of funds from
sponsors. "We're fortunate in our sponsors", says Voragen.
"Local companies, TU/e and the city of Eindhoven have donated
some 200,000 guilders to finance the festival."
The Tuna festival includes a competition between some 34 groups
with prizes for best group, best female group, most amusing group,
best solo singer, best instrumentalist, best banner-waver etc.
The competition will be judged by a jury, with experts in a number
of musical categories. Stage performances are planned in a big
tent on the 'Markt' in downtown Eindhoven, where there will also
be plenty of Spanish beer, wine, sherry and 'tapas'. The groups
will also take part in a special parade.
New members
There are currently only about sixteen Tunas and Tuniñas
active at TU/e. The student music associations would welcome new
members. For more information call the Tuna house at 040-2119429
or the Tuniña house at 2124196./.
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