Eryen Korath

Eryen Korath Ortíz Garcés is a renowned scholar, researcher, educator, and masterful performer of Marimba de Chonta music and Traditional Songs of the Pacific Coast of Colombia. She is a lawyer, specialist in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and a Master's student in International Law.

Eryen Korath leads the group Cantares del Pacífico, whose first album, Aguajes de Mar y Manglar, was nominated for a 2023 Latin Grammy. This album investigates the traditions of and brings together six generations of musicians from the different rivers of Buenaventura. Cantares has been a cultural ambassador of the Colombian Pacific since 2013, performing around the globe.

From an early age, Eryen has been recognized as a cultural authority for her virtuosity and knowledge of the Marimba de Chonta. She was named Queen of the Marimba in 2012 and winner of the national competitions Marimba de Oro in Palmira and Sonar de Marimba in Buenaventura. She participated in Petrona Martínez's album Ancestras, which won the 2021 Latin Grammy. In 2025, she became the youngest judge ever at the Festival de Músicas del Pacífico Petronio Álvarez. In addition to her tireless work to open doors for female percussionists, she has also been recognized by the Black Women Disrupt movement in Brazil and for her contributions to women's struggles and to the development of the city of Buenaventura.