Tuna (music)

The tradition originated in Spain and Portugal in the 13th century as a means of students to earn money or food.

Nowadays students don't belong to a "tuna" for money or food; rather, they seek to keep a tradition alive, for fun, to travel a lot and to meet new people from other universities.

The name tuna may come from French roi de Thunes,[1] [king of Tunis], a title used by leaders of vagabonds.

But there is also a legend of a real King of Tunis, known for his love to music and party that usually liked to walk around the streets at night playing and singing.

In the old times (medieval days) the Sopistas (a sarcastic title meaning soup beggars) would use their musical talents to entertain people in exchange for a coin and a bowl of soup (sopa, in Portuguese and Spanish, hence the name sopistas).

[3] The sopistas were poor students that with their music, friendly personality and craftiness scoured for cheap eats for a few coins in the eating-houses, convents, streets and squares.

In theory, these cloaks (or "capas" in Portuguese and Spanish) could be used to evade getting caught busking by police,[7] which in Medieval Portugal, was frowned upon.

Que cada cinta que adorna mi capa (Every ribbon that decorates my cloak)Guarda un trocito de corazón.