A NPR visual series takes a look at the rhythm of cumbia : NPR

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Once the soundtrack of the working class, cumbia's simple, yet contagious, rhythm absorbed local styles, morphed, and reinvented itself. It has traveled underground through the veins of Latin America and spread throughout the world, from the remote villages of the Ecuadorian Andes to the bars of downtown Los Angeles.

It has become one of the most listened-to genres in the Americas , symbolizing Latin American identity. Born from the cultural mix of African, Indigenous, and European influences, cumbia's history reflects our own. Since its emergence on the Colombian coast during colonial times, it has accompanied Latin American migrants from rural areas to cities, crossing borders and continents.

In our bilingual special series, Cumbia Across Latin America, photographer