Tango and the Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata is an estuary on the South Atlantic coast, stretching 230 km from La Plata (Argentina) to Punta del Este (Uruguay). It is formed by the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. Along its banks, ports like Rosario, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo have long been centers of trade and cultural exchange.
The word tango has always been surrounded by debate. What we do know is that it was first used to describe “meeting places” in Africa and colonial America. By 1790, in Buenos Aires, tango referred to the gatherings and dances of African slaves. In Montevideo, the same meaning appeared at the start of the 19th century.
Cuban ships often stayed in these ports for months to load salted meat, and their sailors brought music such as the habanera—another influence that shaped local rhythms.
Later, between 1880 and 1920, more than six million Europeans arrived through these same ports. Their presence, combined with African traditions and local culture, gave birth to tango—first in Buenos Aires, and soon after in Montevideo and Rosario.
Population changes also played a role: in 1880, Buenos Aires had around two million inhabitants, compared to one million in Montevideo. Today, Greater Buenos Aires counts about 15 million, while Montevideo has about 1.5 million. This shifted cultural and economic weight, but tango remained rooted in the shores of the Río de la Plata.
That’s why we believe tango should not be claimed by one country alone, but by the whole region of the Río de la Plata.
It is in this spirit that we named our Brussels milonga:
Milonga del Río de la Plata.
Text by Hugo Godoy (21/05/2012 * revision 09/2025)
