How did Iberian work songs become part of rural Latin American music?

Iberian work songs became part of rural Latin American music as a result of the cultural exchange that occurred during the colonial period. When Spanish and Portuguese settlers arrived in the Americas, they brought with them various secular music genres and styles from their homelands, which were used for a wide range of social and work-related occasions.1

These Iberian work song genres, particularly those associated with farming, were integrated into the musical traditions of many rural Latin American communities. Over time, these imported traditions blended with indigenous and African influences to form the diverse folk music landscape of the region. While these genres underwent changes after their introduction, they remained a significant part of the musical repertory, often retaining structural characteristics of the European musical system, such as tonal melodies and specific rhythmic patterns.231