Dating as far back as the 1800s,[1] gaitas began as improvised songs in the neighborhoods of Zulia where, as Robert T. Carroll describes, “people would gather in a circle and encourage each other to make up verses to a song.
"[2] Gaita incorporates various instrumentations and rhythms from Spanish, Indigenous and African music.
Although gaitas are most commonly heard around Christmas time,[3] there are various themes present, ranging from romance to political.
[4] This notion is also corroborated by Robert Carroll’s study in how lyrics present in gaitas serve as a retelling of the history of Zulia, which are viewed through the perceptive of its writers.
Another example of this is “Sentir Zuliano,” (Zulian Feeling) a gaita that, according to Robert Carroll, expresses a sentimental, poetic description of what it means to, as the name implies, “feel Zulian.”[2] Other examples include “Lago de Maracaibo” (Lake of Maracaibo) which refers to the oil boom in Venezuela during the 1960s with lyrics such as “Tus riquezas petroleras al mundo tiene asombrado.” (Your oil riches amaze the world).