TUNA
Tuna is a University band made up of university students. This music group plays in Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Central America or South America. Tuna contains twenty-five people. A Tuno is a member of a Tuna which may also be called a Sopistas. The name tuna comes from the French roi de Thenes. The first known were the Sopistas in the thirteenth century they would use their musical talents to entertain the people. Tuna of Salamanca was important because they were the first known tuna and established tuna in the world in the 13th century and they were created to help finance studies for the band members. Sopistas were poor students who made the most of their musical talent.
The clothing of the Tuna is derived from students of the 16th and 17th centuries. The costume is one of the most characteristics and authentic part of the entire tradition. The costumes are similar to the clothes worn by the original students at Spain’s first universities. It is called grillo in Spanish meaning cricket these names used for the costume today consists of a doublet, shirt, pants, and shoes. A doublet is a tight-fitting jacket worn over a white shirt with big cuffs and collar. The pants are baggy trousers which are short and wide and fitted at the leg. The shoes and tights are garments that cover the foot and the legs to waist. The Beca is the band with a color. It is worn on the breast and shoulder over the doublet. The seal of the university is embroidered. The most important garments is the cloak that is long and loose, doesn’t have sleeves and is open in the front to wear over the clothes. The phrase “Que cade cinta que adorna mi capa guarda un trocito de corazón” means in English that every ribbon that adorns his cape holds a piece of somebody’s heart.
Tuna used two main musical instruments. One is the guitar used with the melody which comes from the voices and singing. The bandurria and the lute(any plucked instrument with a neck)...