A Peña is a meeting place or grouping of musicians or artists, either in Spain (where it is known as ''Peña Flamenca'') or in various South American countries. In

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

in particular, the term came to mean a cheap, popular venue where folk music was played and simple food and drink were available, usually in the form of

Nueva Canción (European , ; 'new song') is a left-wing social movement and musical genre in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, characterized by folk music, folk-inspired styles and socially committed lyrics. is widely recognized to have played a profou ...

, the kind of music popularised by musicians such as

Violeta Parra Violeta del Carmen Parra Sandoval (; 4 October 1917 – 5 February 1967) was a Chilean composer, singer-songwriter, folklorist, ethnomusicologist and visual artist. She pioneered the Nueva Canción Chilena (The Chilean New Song), a renewal and a ...

and

Victor Jara The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

in the 1960s and early 1970s Jara, Joan (1983). ''Victor: An Unfinished Song''. Jonathan Cape, London. Because of its association with the Unidad Popular Government of

Salvador Allende Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens (26 June 1908 – 11 September 1973) was a Chilean socialist politician who served as the 28th president of Chile from 1970 until Death of Salvador Allende, his death in 1973 Chilean coup d'état, 1973. As a ...

, the concept of a Peña is often associated with social justice and grassroots culture.

References

Nueva canción {{music-stub