https://saborflamencomadrid.es/el-duende/
Duende: a sacred force in flamenco
Duende is a deeply rooted and complex concept, at the very heart of flamenco, the Gitanos and Andalusia. Although the Spanish word duende may literally translate as “spirit” or “earth goblin,” its true meaning in flamenco goes far beyond those definitions.
In our culture, symbols like duende are not spoken of lightly. They are treated with respect and are considered a deep connection that our people have with them. Duende belongs to flamenco, to the Gitanos and to Andalusians because it was born there and we preserve it.
When words are taken out of context
https://lenguapse.gumroad.com/l/upbyn
As an Andalusian woman, I want to make something very clear: the fact that I am alone in this context does not mean that others have the right to use my culture in a way that has nothing to do with it. Taking duende and applying it to unrelated parties or genres is not creativity: it is cultural appropriation.
Cultural appropriation occurs when elements of a culture are taken out of their context, emptied of meaning and used by people outside that culture —generally with more privilege— to profit, to show off, or as a simple novelty. It is not an act of admiration, but of distortion, because it erases the origin while pretending to celebrate it.
As a privileged white man, mixing duende with reggaeton, cumbia or merengue is not a gesture of unity, but a sign of ignorance and lack of respect for both cultures. Traditions are not being brought together: they are being confused. You’re mixing apples and oranges. The Andalusian, Gitano and flamenco heritage on one side, and the rich traditions of Latin America on the other, deserve respect. Each has its own history, its struggle and its meaning. Treating them as interchangeable is like calling rice rolls a Colombian empanada: the only thing they have in common is that they are eaten through the mouth.
https://www.libreriadelprado.com/flamenco/3763-duende-y-misterio-del-cante-andaluz.html
Why it is disrespectful
Misusing the word duende is to reduce its depth to a superficial label. It is not just a word: it carries centuries of memory, art, and survival of the Andalusian and Gitano people. It is a concept rooted in pain, joy and resistance. Emptying it of its meaning to promote a party is to erase it, to trivialise it and to deny the culture to which it belongs.
The same happens with Latin American cultures, who also recoil when they see their music and traditions reduced to stereotypes or forced into categories that do not belong to them. Both flamenco and the musical traditions of Latin America are powerful, complex and worthy of being understood on their own terms. Using their symbols in a superficial way is not celebration: it is disrespect.
What Duende Is Not
Duende is not a catchy name for a party.
Duende is not an exotic decoration on a poster.
Duende is not reggaeton, nor cumbia, nor merengue.
Duende is not a marketing product or a cultural costume.
Duende is a sacred force, inseparable from Andalusian, Gitano and flamenco history. It cannot be bought, invented, or borrowed. It is felt in the singing, the dancing, and the guitar playing, when art is born from the deepest place and connects with those who witness it.
Respecting my culture means understanding this difference.
Respect my culture
Culture is not an accessory, a costume or a brand. Duende cannot be bought, sold or borrowed. You either have it or you don’t. It is a concept that lives in flamenco, inseparable from its history and its people. To respect my culture is to understand that words, symbols and traditions are not decoration for any privileged person.
So, if you insist on using duende where it does not belong, at the very least acknowledge that you are confusing traditions in a way that confuses both.
My culture is not yours to exploit, it is ours to protect.
By Elisa