HavanaCultura, Published on Apr 19, 2017 -snip- Statistics for this video as of Feb. 24, 2021 at 9:03 AM ET Total number of views - 2,291,835 Total number of likes - 46K Total number of dislikes - 413 Total number of comments- 702
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the official YouTube video "La Rumba Me Llamo Yo" as performed by Cuban singer Daymé Arocena
This post presents an English translation for this song which is sung in Spanish. Some explanations in English for some of these lyrics are also included in this post.
This content is presented for cultural, entertainment, and
aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owner.
Thanks to Daymé Arocena for her musical legacy. Thanks to
the producer of this video and all those who are featured in this video and
thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher
of this video on YouTube. -snip- Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/cuban-singer-dayme-arocena-la-rumba-me.htmlfor the June 2019 pancocojams post entitled "Cuban Singer Daymé Arocena - "La Rumba Me Llamo
Yo" (video & comments)." That post includes biographical information about Daymé Arocena that is found in the summary of that video and selected comments from that YouTube video's discussion thread.
**** ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOR LYRICS FOR "LA RUMBA ME LLAMO YO" ("THE RUMBA IS MY NAME"]
[Scat singing]
My mother says that black is gifted That he approaches me for shadow And that he does not love my side That I am a daughter of luck That mine is natural That I do not share my glory Pa that don't love me wrong
My mother says, your ocha is not babalawo But if you were a man, drummer you were consecrated Moyugba Eggun, who does not let you fall That goes to war with you so that I can win
Says my mother will be fine and thin But the conga With you, Dancing you pal bembe That gives you laughter, and a tumbao that tumbles And that is why the dead are going to pull you to the rumba
[Scatting]
I'm Iya, I'm Bongo, the rumba is my name The rumba is my name, the rumba is my name I am Iya, I am Bongo, the rumba is my name
[Scatting] (x5)
I'm Iya, I'm Bongo, the rumba is my name… (x5)
Imborooooo
What do you want 'to be given? Rumba, come come, what do you want to do?
What do you want them to give you? Rumba, come come, what do you want 'to be given? Rumba, come come
(Tell me what you want them to give you?)
What do you want them to give you? Rumba, come come…
**** EXPLANATIONS FOR SOME OF THE LYRICS IN THIS SONG OCHA From https://silirecio.com/blog/what-have-i-done-and-other-answers-to-your-questions#:~:text=Here's%20what%20it%20means%3A,during%20a%20seven%2Dday%20ceremony. …“Ocha = Ocha (Kariocha, making Santo): The initiation of a
new priest or priestess where his/her tutelary Orisha is put on his/her head
(crown) during a seven-day ceremony. The newly initiated priest/priestess then
enters their Iyaworaje, their year and 7 days of purification, rejuvenation,
transformation and learning. -snip- Here's information about the word "orisha" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orisha "In the native religion of the Yoruba people, Orisha (spelled
òrìṣà in the Yoruba language, orichá in Cuban practice and orixá in Brazilian
practice of Latin America) are spirits sent by Olodumare[1] for the guidance of
all creation and of humanity in particular, on how to live and be successful on
Àiyé (Earth). Most Òrìṣà are said to have previously existed in the spirit
world (òrún) as Irúnmọlẹ̀, and then become incarnated as human beings here on
Earth. Others are said to be humans who are recognised as deities upon their
death due to extraordinary feats accomplished in life.[2]
Many Òrìṣà have found their way to most of the New World as
a result of the Atlantic slave trade and are now expressed in practices as varied
as Santería, Candomblé, Trinidad Orisha, Umbanda, and Oyotunji, among others.
The concept of orisha is similar to those of deities in the traditional
religions of the Bini people of Edo State in southern Nigeria, the Ewe people
of Benin, Ghana, and Togo, and the Fon people of Benin.[2][3]”…
**** BABALAWO From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babalawo#:~:text=Babaal%C3%A1wo%20or%20Babalawo%20(Babalao%20or,priest%20of%20the%20If%C3%A1%20oracle. "Babaaláwo or Babalawo (Babalao or Babalaô in West Africa; literally meaning
'father of the mysteries' in the Yoruba language) is a spiritual title that
denotes a priest of the Ifá oracle. Ifá is a divination system that represents
the teachings of the Òrìṣà Ọrunmila, the Òrìṣà of Wisdom, who in turn serves as
the oracular representative of Olodumare. A Babalawo's female counterpart is
known as an or Ìyánífá
**** MO'JUBA (given as "Moyugba Eggun" in that song)
from https://sites.google.com/site/theyorubareligiousconcepts/suyere-prayers/mo-juba-iba ..."The Mo'juba is a ancestral prayer that santeros/as use to
called the spirit, material and ancestral spirit into being . This allows the
Ase ( spoken power) to manifest into the material world as a guide and tool for
any given ceremony. The main thing about the Mojuba is that it come from the
heart of the person speaking it"...
[,,,]
Mojuba eggun-gun ile e eleri e mi ( Reverence to the spirits
of my house and of my head)”…
When an individual is born, her soul incarnates, that is,
takes on a physical body. This soul comes from a constellation of energy that
continuously incarnates within a family line. This is a very broad concept,
because all family lines eventually return to one people. However, it is
commonly believed that familiar energies tend to stay together, which is why we
bear the traits of our recent ancestors. While the soul is here, it gathers
wisdom and knowledge through its experiences on this plane. When the individual
dies, the spirit dis-incarnates and returns to that constellation of energies,
the cull of souls, if you will, to await reincarnation.”…
**** IYA From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iya_Nla "Ìyá Nlá is the primordial spirit of all creation in
Yoruba cosmology. She is believed to be the source of all existence. Iya Nla
literally means “Great Mother” in the Yoruba language (Ìyá: Mother; Nlá:
Big or Great).”...
In The Gẹ̀lẹ̀dẹ́ Spectacle: Art,
Gender, and Social Harmony in an African Culture, art historian Babatunde Lawal
reveals that Ìyá Nlá in Yoruba cosmology is the orisha who is the
“Mother of All Things, including the deities.”[1] Lawal also asserts that the
female principle in nature has been personified as Ìyá Nlá (The Great
Mother), whereby human beings can relate to one another as children of the same
mother.”[2] Teresa N. Washington’s Our Mothers, Our Powers, Our Texts:
Manifestationsof Àjẹ́ in Africana Literature, states that Ìyá
Nlá — the Mother of All, who is also known as Yewájọbí, Odù, Odùduwà, and
Àjẹ́ — is not merely an orisha; Ìyá Nlá is the primordial force of all
creation.[3]"
**** I'm not sure what the word "Bongo" means in this song. Since "Iya" means "Mother of all", my guess is that in the context of the line "I'm Iya, I'm Bongo, the rumba is my name", "Bongo" means Father of all".
**** I don't know what "Imboro" means in this song.
This pancocojams post showcases the official YouTube video
Selected comments from the discussion thread for this video are also included in this post.
This content is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owner.
Thanks to Daymé Arocena for her musical legacy. Thanks to the producer of this video and all those who are featured in this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: La Rumba Me Llamo Yo - Daymé Arocena - Cubafonía (Official video)
HavanaCultura, Published on Apr 19, 2017
Created in collaboration with Havana Cultura, a platform for contemporary Cuban creativity driven by Havana Club rum. More info http://havana-cultura.com/
Built on a steady-moving rumba rhythm, ‘La Rumba me llamo yo’ is the latest track to be taken from Daymé Arocena’s second album Cubafonía. A bright, infectious composition in a guaganco-styled mode of rumba, the song revealed itself to Daymé in a dream. A reflection of her Santería religion, the song traces her Ita — the reading of your destiny that comes with initiation.
With Cuba poised to become more connected to the rest of the world, the Cuban people’s pride in a unique musical heritage has never felt more vital. Arising from that lineage, Daymé Arocena has returned to deliver an ambitious second long player; rooting her compositions in Cuba’s classic rhythms, Daymé encompasses the rich, diverse musical make-up of her home whilst looking outward too – to the world she has spent the last two years traveling.
It’s her most polished, fully realised project since meeting her mentor (and record label head), Gilles Peterson, in 2012. Benefiting from Gilles’ expansive vision as a DJ, broadcaster and promoter, Daymé has been nurtured to this point by the Havana Cultura project – a platform for contemporary Cuban creativity driven by Havana Club rum.
Interviewing Daymé at the Sound of Cuba showcase at SXSW last year, NPR wrote, “It is hard to imagine a better voice to open her country’s gates” – and it feels like this statement holds true. Ambitious, hardworking, and hungry for cultural exchange that doesn’t compromise the unique flavour of her home country of which she is so proud, it feels like 2017 could be a monumental year for Daymé. She possesses a clear sense of her music’s intermingling influences: “We don't have this native culture,” she explains. “We don't have indigenous people, like Maya or Quechua. They made a country with people from everywhere – that’s what makes Cuban culture so different."...
-snip-
Statistics for this video as of June 17, 2019 as of 1:27 PM
Total number of views - 1,014,452 views
Total number of likes - 19,000
Total number of dislikes - 175
Total number of comments- 244
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS EMBEDDED VIDEO
(with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Darina, 2017
"magnifique!! Can we have a translation ?"
**
REPLY
2. Hilda Mola, 2018
"Rumba is a Cuban rythm and she is speaking about her african ancestors and the same time fussioning the music,I loved the video"
**
3. Daniel Hahlane, 2017
"Authenticity at its best!!!! I can't get enough of this tune"
**
4. Smangele Majola
"This woman gives me so much life <3 -snip-="" 2018="" 5.="" :d="" a="" aym="" beautiful="" caballero="" ch="" delgado="" es="" here="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9" kalien="" on="" pa="" power="" rocena="" s="" stage="" the="" todos="" un="" video="" y="">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9 an excerpt from about "Ashe" (Aché)
"Ase or ashe (from Yoruba àṣẹ)[1] is a West African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. It is given by Olodumare to everything — gods, ancestors, spirits, humans, animals, plants, rocks, rivers, and voiced words such as songs, prayers, praises, curses, or even everyday conversation. Existence, according to Yoruba thought, is dependent upon it.[2]
In addition to its sacred characteristics, ase also has important social ramifications, reflected in its translation as "power, authority, command."...
**
6. nineties Baby, 2018
"I'm not Cuban or have any Hispanic descendant but I watched her on tiny desk here on YouTube and ever since I've been listening to her music. I don't even understand half of what she's singing about. Her voice is just so powerful and magnetic."
**
REPLY
7. Salamander, 2018
"honestly why should lyrics matter if the melody, harmony and rhythm is off the charts."
**
REPLY
8. Ojberretta Berretta, 2018
"musica latina is for the world to enjoy no matter what your nationality race religion might be we all human love and peace"
**
REPLY
9. soniakiwi, 2019
"Don't worry. Part of the song uses Yoruba and/or Congo, another part uses Cuban Spanish (patois) and another part is Spanish. But the first of the song is being connected to her ancestors and family's Afro heritage via music and spirituality."
**
REPLY
10. Luis CG, 2019
"@Ojberretta Berretta this is Afro-cuban music(Rumba, Columbia, Guaguanco) Please don't call it "Latin"..."
**
REPLY
11. Ojberretta Berretta, 2019
"its latino music i am part cuban latino and cuban both include the african culture since african culture is a pillar to cuban and latinamerican culture afro cuban afro latino etc.is used by gringos to divide latinos it to groups so latinos wont be united u just played into the hands of the gringos no latno uses the worf afro lattino etc by themselves the yonly got this from dividing hateful racially obsessed gringos
@Luis CG"
**
REPLY
12. Luis CG, 2019
"@Ojberretta Berretta lol what the hell are you talking about? This is Afro-cuban music. Why you guys want to fit the term Latin on everything? Are you half cuban and you call this Latin music? If you are Cuban, you are Carribean and Antillean. The Latinos are the people from Lazio in Italy. Stop calling everything Latin in the Americas. Latin is just a language not a culture... Rumba, Guaguanco, Columbia, Afro-cuban Jazz, Changüi, etc are Afro-cubans. I am more Cuban than you.... In Cuba we don't call this Latin music because it isn't. Forget about the Latino sh&t*, leave it for the Regueton(nobody is proud of that sh&t*) This is Afro-Carribean music that we share with others Caribbean islands(Jamaican, Haiti, etc).
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
**
REPLY
13. Ojberretta Berretta, 2019
"@Luis CG in cuba they call it cuban music only the ones who want to divide call it afroc cuban and its still latin latino is a culture wich includes languages from latin europe in this song they sing in spanish a european latin language and theres no need to call it afro cuban except u wanna divide cuban ppl into races and thats pretty much racist itself every music from cuba has african roots therefore its nothing wrong sayin its cuban or latin music cuz its both true"
**
REPLY
14. Ojberretta Berretta, 2019
"@Luis CG let me give u a small example in america they call themselves african american in cuba black dont call themsleves afro cubans they call themselves CUBAN
in america the blacks have lost their connection to their homeland in latin america the blacks did not loose the connection so now theres white cubans mixed cubans and other latinos wich have a much stronger connection to africa 1stt throug their music wich is an essential part of african culture especially the drums now i play drums im part of una hermandad but my hair is not curly my skin is not black i am considered white SO i am not gonna call myself afro even if my culture is much closer to actual african culture than the culture of african americans who might be darkskin but dont ever have heard about oleuge or any other god they lost any connection while we latinos kept it i love africa i love african culture but i am a latino and africa is part of what is latino i dont wanna divide myself from other races wich i am part of since they in my dna african european native american=latino
la obsesion con las razas tienen los gringos nosotros los latino no tenemos que empezar a dividirnos y a excluir gente a traves del color de su piel o de sus ancestros somos todos latinos y deberiamos celebrar las culturas africanas europeas y nativa un saludo cordial ashe"
**
REPLY
15. Ojberretta Berretta, 2019
"besides that reggaeton has as base jamaican music wich is a derivate of african rythms see yourself call african influenced latino music latin music so why do you not call cuban latin music makes 0 sense@Luis CG"
**
REPLY
16. Evie Gonz, 2019
"I have no idea why anyone would waste time in these disagreements about what is what...just enjoy and appreciate the beauty in the music."
**
17. KAS, 2019
"you should have seen her in New Orleans at Jazz fest!!! she tore the house down!!!"
**
18. Guanabacoacoa, 2019
"Afrocuban roots! and yes her voice is powerful and beutiful and so addicted!"
**
19. hijadelmar Q, 2019
"Her words are powerful. Cubans relate and most Latinos and Hispanics. Cubans are a mix my bloodline yourban and Congo tribe portugese Spain. Half of my family are dark and the other look European but we are same blood. Many came as slaves and we as Cubans are strong and show our pride in our music, dancing (look up ballet in Cuba also), work, home life our food. As Celia Cruz says we do everything Con Azucar. We need love and sweetness of our hearts, we need to uplift our ancestors as they fought for us today. Never forget them or we will be forgotten. Anyways how I was raised. :) oh and you feel her words, maybe Osha is calling you. :) sorry for a late response."
This pancocojams post is Part III of an ongoing series that presents quotes from various online articles that provide information about the meanings of certain colors, designs, and objects in specific traditional African cultures.
The excerpts in this post provide some information about Olodumare and Obatala (Oxalá) and the color white in Yoruba traditional religion and in the Santeria and Condomble religions which it has influenced/influences.
Eight videos are also included in this post. These videos are from Nigeria, Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United States.
Use pancocojams' internal search engine or click the "the meaning of colors in traditional African cultures" tag below to find other pancocojams posts on this subject.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
Thanks to the researchers who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
EXCERPTS ABOUT OLODUMARE AND OBATALA AND THE COLOR WHITE
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
With the exception of the Excerpts given as #1 and #2, these excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
I added italics to highlight statements in these excerpts about the color white.
EXCERPT #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_religion
"The Yoruba religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practices of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in present-day Southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo, commonly known as Yorubaland. Yoruba religion is formed of diverse traditions. It has influenced a host of thriving traditions such as Santería, Umbanda, and Candomblé.[1] Yoruba religious beliefs are part of Itan, the total complex of songs, histories, stories, and other cultural concepts which make up the Yoruba society"...
****
EXCERPT #2
[Pancocojams Editor's Note: In this pdf file page numbers are given at the bottom of each page.
I corrected some obvious typographical errors in this quoted excerpt of this pdf file.]
Ritual Sanctity
This has to do with the various taboo in connection with the administration of the various rituals and rites that constitute Yoruba traditional religion. This can also be called ritual holiness. The taboo are what the Yoruba call eewo, a ku see, ohun.
Each ritual has its taboo that should be avoided by the priest-king, Olofi dwon [woro, other priests, [woro or Abore, and the worshipers. For examples the priests and devotees of the god called Esu should avoid having any contact with palm nut oil (Yoruba: adi) in order not to incur the wrath of Esu. Moreover, the priests and devotees of the arch-divinity of Yoruba pantheon, Obatala, should avoid palmwine completely in order to maintain ritual sanctity with regard to the worship of Obatala. They should also promote anything white and avoid black items in order to keep the ritual sanctity in connection with the worship of the divinity. ·White is a symbol of purity, holiness and peace. So, priests and devotees of Obatala should, during ritual activities, present themselves as'pure and holy.
[page] 164
[...]
Let us start with the ritual in connection with the worship of God - Olodumare and gods - Orisa. There is a specific cult of Olodumare in Yorubaland. This may baffle those foreign arm-chair investigators who hold the thesis that Olodumare is not an object of worship in Yoruba religion. The point here is. because 016dumare cannot be confined into space (the Yoruba described Him as A-te-rere-K'aye - One who occupies the whole extent of the world); the ritualistic worship offered to Him takes place in the open and not in building like temples and mosques. The worshiper makes a circle of ashes (Yoruba: eeru) or white chalk (Yoruba: efun); within the circle, which is a symbol of eternity, he pours a libation of cold water, and in the centre he places his kolanut (Yoruba: obi on cotton wool- Yoruba: owu etUtu). He then takes the kolanut, splits it and holding the valves within the circle. Often, a white fowl (Yoruba: adiefunfun) is offered in the same way. In lle-Ife, the ancestral home of the Yoruba, there is a priest-chief whose duty is to offer this ritual every morning in the name of the Doni and of all the people. However, it is unfortunate to note that the direct ritualistic worship of 0lodumare, as a regular aspect of cultic
activities in Yorubaland, is dying out. In some places, according to Bolaji Idowu, it is no longer known; in some, it has become the cult of women.
[...]
[page] 165
[...]
The Yoruba used wood and metal carvings, plants and animals as symbols of gods and ancestral spirits. Before we go further, iris important to note that, as said earlier, these symbols are not ends in themselves but means to certain ends. Thus those who are out to conduct a genuine research into the religious situation in Yorubaland should not take appearance for reality, means for an end, symbol for the symbolised and reality for shadow.
Divinities and ancestors are sure objects of worship and reverence among the Yoruba. However, it is to be noted that they are a means to get to Olodumare - God, the ultimate End of everything. The Yoruba 'have never made the mistake of putting God, Olodumare, on the same pedestal with the divinities (arisa) and the ancestors.
In their belief, 0lodumare is unique, incomparable. The. uniqueness of Olodumare is one reason why there are no images-graven or in drawing or in painting - of Him in Yorubaland. Symbols there are copious, but no images of Him. Symbols or images of deities or divinities abound in Yorubaland. Orisa'nla, the arch-divinity of Yoruba pantheon is usually pictured as an ancient figure in white and bedecked with white
[page] 168
ornaments. His temple, especially the inside, is washed white, his emblems are to be kept in white containers and consists, among other things, of white chalk and white beads. His priests and priestesses are robed in white and wear white ornaments.
Those who do not understand the religion of the Yoruba might think that the items are the things that matter here. This is patently wrong. The message here is that all those white items point to Orisa-'nla as presenting, to the Yoruba, the idea of ritual and ethical purity, and therefore the demands and sanctions of high moral pattern.
The white items are mere symbols symbolising purity, holiness, cleanliness on the part of the ritual leaders and the worshipers of Orisa- 'nla.”
[page] 169
[...]
Concluding Remarks
So far we have been able to give a broad survey of rituals, symbols and their implications in Yoruba traditional religion. It is seen in the paper that the idea of the supreme Being, called 0lodumare in Yoruba religion, is central in and crucial to Yoruba belief system. We have seen this rituals, symbolism and symbols have ultimate reference to Olodumare who is believed to be the Maker,the Creator, the Owner of Life.
It is also made clear in the paper that the Yoruba are not worshipers of woods, plants, animals and so on as erroneously conceived by some foreign researchers.
Rather, they employ those items to give some kind of concrete and objective reality to their religious dreams and aspirations. Thus all items in their religious thought, apart from the supreme Being, are a means to an end, the end itself being the supreme Being known as 0lodumare, Oluwa; Olorun, 0lofin drun, EImaa. Those who do riot know but are ready to learn and know should realise that in all things the Yoruba are religious. The focal point of their religious aspiration is God. It would be proper then for those who want to conduct a genuine research into the traditional religious thought of the Yoruba to avoid prejudice and preconceived notion and show extra caution, openness and sympathy by calling the Yoruba what they actually call themselves. There is no point pontificating on items that are alien to one. Such would lead one to commit academic fallacy that does not augur well for true scholarship.
Obatalá (also spells Obbatala or Obatala) is the eldest of the orishas in Santeria and king of the religion in orun (heaven). He is also the father of many of the orishas and as such is given great respect and deference by the other orishas in matters of great importance. He also acts as the “referee” or judge when the orishas have quarrels, working to restore and preserve peace at all times. To reflect his place of importance in the Lukumí pantheon, Obatala’s shrine is always placed higher than any other orisha in the home. Obatala is the owner of all heads, because it is said that he molded the bodies of humans before Olodumare breathed life into them. As such, Obatala protects all people, and acts as a guardian for those who do not yet know who their guardian orisha is.
Obatala encourages us to be patient and to handle matters with calm and reason. His ashé (power) is perfectly embodied within his favorite color: white. He is always dressed in white and all of his offerings are white to reflect his spiritual purity and the coolness of his energy. White is our most sacred color in Santeria because it represents Obatala. When olorishas attend ceremonies we wear white clothing as holy vestments and to surround ourselves with Obatala’s protective energy. Iyawos (new initiates) in Santeria have to wear white clothing from head-to-toe for a year for the same reason: as a symbol of purity and as an energetic protection against osogbo.
Obatala along with Oshun, Yemaya and Changó is one of the four pillar orishas that every olorisha receives at his kariocha initiation. Obatala is unique in that half of his roads are female and half are male. In that sense Obatala transcends gender, further demonstrating his ability to act impartially in orun (heaven) and with the orishas. If there is ever a debate about who a person’s guardian orisha is, they can safely be initiated with Obatala as he is the owner of all heads. Obatala is often depicted as elderly, with a full head of white hair, dressed in white robes.
Symbols, Numbers, Colors and Attributes of Obatalá
Obatala’s eleke is always made with white beads. This unique Obatala eleke has mother-of-pearl and purple beads added for the road Oba Moro.
Number: 8
Sacred Place in Nature: hills, mountains or high places
Color: White
Tools: A horsetail fly-whisk (some roads use a sword or cane)
Temperament: Calm, reasonable, quiet (some roads, like Ayáguna are youthful and fiery)
****
EXCERPT #4
From https://lukumipeople.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/the-orisha-who-do-you-most-identify-with/
The Orisha, Who Do You Most Identify With?
"In the Yoruba based religions, the Orisha are angelic emanations of The Creator (God Almighty) manifesting through nature. To put it simply, God created the universe and everything in it. God then manifested bits of himself creating lesser gods or guardian angels, governing over the various forces of nature. So yes, for every force of nature, there is a spiritual being governing it.
[...]
Obatala’s day is Sunday.
The day for settling differences. Useful for long-range planning and the perfect day for the preparation of amulets and charms for longevity and good health.
Obatala is the Father of the White Cloth, Peace, Calm. His domain is the Sky, Clouds, Mountaintop."...
****
EXCERPT #5 Santeria: The Beliefs and Rituals of a Growing Religion in America
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0802849733
Miguel A. De La Torre - 2004 - History white dove is a symbol of Obatala, and for this reason he is petitioned for peace when his fellow orishas act cruelly toward humans. While Obatala has been revealed through several Catholic saints, he is best known as Our Lady of Ransom. (As mentioned earlier, crossing between genders is common among the orishas.”...
Obatalá (Obbatalá) is called the creator of earth and the sculptor of mankind because he was given this job by his father Olodumare, the supreme God in the Lucumí pantheon....
Obatalá is the owner of all things that are white, as well as the human head and all of its thoughts and dreams. He also owns silver and white metals, and the ceiba tree. Obatalá likes cotton, cocoa butter, cascarilla (powder made of egg shells), marble eggs, and snails. As tribute, he likes merengues, white rice, white custard, rice pudding, black eyed peas, fruits with a grainy texture like pomegranates, pears and custard apples, roasted ñamé (sweet potato) and malanga (taro root). Obatalá's food can never be salted. He's an Oricha who came directly to earth from heaven as the son of God, specifically Olodumare and Olofi. He was sent to earth to do good and govern as the king of the planet. Obatalá is calm, wise, understanding, and he loves peace and harmony. He demands proper behavior from his children and, out of respect, they obey him. No one can swear or blaspheme in front of Obatalá, and no one should appear naked in his presence. He hates alcohol and prohibits his children from drinking it. He always dresses in white, and his eleke (beaded necklace) is also white. He lives in a white porcelain sopera (soup tureen) kept on the altar of the home."..
In the Americas
Santería
Obatalá (also known as Ochalá or Oxalá; Orichalá or Orixalá) is the oldest "Orisha funfun" ("white deity"), referring to purity, both physically and symbolically as in the "light" of consciousness. In Santería, Obatalá is syncretized with Our Lady of Mercy and Jesus Of Nazareth.
Candomblé
In Candomblé, Oxalá (Obatalá) has been syncretized with Our Lord of Bonfim; in that role, he is the patron saint of Bahia. The extensive use of white clothing, which is associated with the worship of Oxalá, has become a symbol of Candomblé in general.[2] Friday is the day dedicated to the worship of Oxalá. A large syncretic religious celebration of the Festa do Bonfim in January in Salvador celebrates both Oxalá and Our Lord of Bonfim; it includes the washing of the church steps with a special water, made with flowers."...
The best time to visit the Brazilian city of Salvador, the capital of Bahia, is in the summertime, between the months of December and March. At this time the city is on fire with religious, folk, and popular festivals all filled with music, food, drinks, água de cheiro (perfumed water), flowers, dancing and happiness. Almost every weekend in this time frame there is either a lavagem (ritual washing of a church which culminates into a party) or a Candomblé `beating of the drums' (a ceremony in the Nigerian Yoruba religion of Candomblé). The three most popular festivals are: the Lavagem of the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, the Festa of Yemanjá (Yoruban Goddess of the Ocean) and of course, Carnaval. (Pravina Shukla)
Bonfim Festival (Lavagem do Bonfim) is one of the biggest events in Salvador. The Catholic celebration starts at Nossa Senhora da Conceição Church, with devotees wearing white clothing, beads and carrying the important vases containing perfumed water along with beautiful flowers before heading to Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church, which is the best known in Bahia State and an important symbol for locals. The festival honors Senhor do Bonfim (associated with the important orixá Oxalá, by Candomblé - Nigerian Yoruba religion - whose color is white).
[...]
The annual and popular Lavagem do Bonfim festival is attended by thousands of people who come to not only take part in the ritual blessing but to also join in the celebrations afterwards.
The procession travels for about 10 miles to the Church of Bonfim where even more spectators are gathered, eagerly awaiting the blessing that takes place there. During the blessing, the perfumed water that has been so carefully carried is subsequently poured over people's hands and on their heads.
[...]
The steps of the Church of Bonfim are also cleaned with the perfumed water as part of the ritual cleansing of the church. At this point, all sing the anthem of Senhor do Bonfim and it is after this event that the street parties often begin and contain plenty of music entertainment, singing and dancing not to mention plenty of street vendors to help keep everyone going. People go to the booths by the Church of Bonfim to eat and drink. There's dancing on the streets, among the traditional booths of Baianas selling acarajé (West African food made of black eyed peas fried in palm oil).
[...]
One popular tradition is to have a Bonfim ribbon tied around your wrist and to make a wish, if the ribbon wears off naturally then it is believed that your wish will come true.
[...]
This festival takes place usually the second Thursday of January every year. This ritual has been occurring in Salvador since 1754.
There are also horse-drawn carriages, musicians, as well as government officials, including the mayor of Salvador. The Carnaval group Filhos de Gandhy (Son of Gandhi), who traditionally lead the procession, march right behind the Baianas all the way to the Church of Bonfim."...
-snip-
This article includes a number of photographs. One of the photographs about Bonfim, shows that Bonfim ribbons can be of any color, including white.
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Ilu Aye - Obatala video by DennisFlores.com
Dennis Flores. Published on Mar 26, 2006
ILU AYE (Literally, "The Drum of the World" in Yoruba)was founded in 2004, to celebrate the connections between the peoples and cultures of the African Diaspora. Bringing together the next generation of Afro-Puerto Rican, -Dominican, and -Cuban percussionists and singers, ILU AYE is dedicated to preserving and promulagting the rich cultural legacy of Africa in the Americas and the Caribbean, through performance, educational workshops, and community-centered gatherings where the rhythms of the African Caribbean reign. Trained by master musicians from all three islands, and versed in sacred and popular rhythms such as bata, guiro, rumba (Cuba); bomba and plena (Puerto Rico); and palos, salves, and kongos (Dominican Republic), ILU AYE interprets traditional songs and reinvigorates the genres with original compositions by renowned akpwon, Osvaldo "Bembe" Lora....
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Example #2: Orisha Dance
Baba Abayomi, Published on Jul 20, 2007
Song and Dance For Orisha Obatala from 17th annual African Street Festival.
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread about this African Street Festival:
rbso6, 2009
"this was at the Annual African Street Festival in Brooklyn sometime in th 80's This the Afrtican Traditional Religion of Ifa. They are singning for the various orisas. This song is for Obatala."
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Example #3: Obatala and Oshun Festival 2009 Part II of III
Iya Fayemisi Shangobukola, Published on May 13, 2009
Obatala and Oshun Festival 2009 Part II, Ode Remo, Ogun state, Nigeria.
African Traditional Isese Festival.
During this Yoruba festival the followers worship Orisa Obatala and Oshun with dances, songs and traditional donations. This festival took place in February - March, 2009 in the Ode Remo town, Ogun state, Nigeria.
The organizator of this festival is IyalOrisa Iya Afin Iyedola Onajoko Oduwole Sokunmbi, among with the female community of Obatala priestesses.
-snip-
Here's some information about Osun from http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-africa/oshun-african-goddess-love-and-sweet-waters-002908
..."Although Oshun (also spelt Osun) is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are other aspects to this Orisha as well. One of the most important roles that Oshun plays is that of the goddess of the sweet waters and the protective deity of the River Oshun in Nigeria....
Although Oshun governs love and the sweet waters, she is also regarded as a highly benevolent deity. Oshun is said to be the protector of the poor and the mother of all orphans. It is Oshun who brings to them their needs in this life. Additionally, Oshun is regarded as a healer of the sick, the bringer of song, music and dance, as well as prosperity and fertility. Oshun is also depicted as a teacher, who taught the Yoruba agriculture, culture and mysticism. She also taught them the art of divination using cowrie shells, as well as songs, chants and meditations taught to her by her father Obatala, the first of the created Orishi."...
-snip-
Osun's color is honey yellow.
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Example #4: Nigeria- Obatala Shrine in Ile Ife
This pancocojams post showcases the 1929 Cuban classic composition "Lagrimas Negras" ("Black Tears") by Miguel Matamoros.
The Spanish lyrics and English translation of "Lagrimas Negras" is included in this post along with five YouTube examples of this song.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Miguel Matamoros and all those singers and musicians who are featured in these sound files and videos.
Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this video and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
-snip-
This post is dedicated to all the people in the Caribbean and elsewhere who have experienced or are experiencing the wrath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Jose or the earthquake in Mexico.
Rest In Peace for all those who lost their lives.
For the living my hope is that the recovery will be as thorough as possible, and that many people will join together in offering financial and other support.
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INFORMATION ABOUT LAGRIMAS NEGRAS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A1grimas_negras_(song)
"Lágrimas negras (Black Tears) is a bolero-son composed in 1929, with lyrics and music by the Cuban composer and singer Miguel Matamoros (1894–1971). It is one of his most famous songs.[1]"
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LYRICS: LAGRIMAS NEGRAS ("Black Tears") - English translation from Spanish
(Composition: Miguel Matamoros)
Although you have thrown me into abandonment
Although all my illusions have already died
Instead of cursing you with just anger
In my dreams, I'll fill you up
In my dreams, I will fill you with blessings
I suffer the immense pity of your loss
I feel the deep pain of your game
And I cry without you knowing that my crying
Has black tears
Has black tears like my life
You want to leave me, I do not want to suffer
With you I go my saint although it costs me to die
A love gardener
Sow a flower and leave
Another comes and cultivates it
Which of the 2 will it be?
You want to leave me, I do not want to suffer
With you I go my saint although it costs me to die
With you I go my saint although it costs me
Whatever it costs
With you I go my saint although it costs me to die
Because I do not want to cry, black tears for you
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Lágrimas Negras - Diego el Cigala y Bebo Valdez
Sandra Taboada, Published on Dec 27, 2010
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Example #2: Celia Cruz, Lagrimas Negras
Oesoyyo Published on May 2, 2011
Del Albúm "Dios Disfrute A La Reina". Lagrimas Negras
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Example #3: Buena Vista Social Club Lágrimas Negras
Cumhur Onat Published on Jul 15, 2011
Artist: Buena Vista Social Club
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Example #4: Cesaria Evora & Compay Segundo - Lagrimas Negras
Lusafrica, Published on Nov 24, 2015
Recorded in Havana (Cuba) in 1999 by Cesaria Evora and Compay Segundo, for a special limited edition of the album of Cesaria "São Vicente di Longe" (2001), and re-released in 2010 in the duet album "Cesaria Evora &".
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Example #5: Lagrimas Negras • Cuba Feliz - Con Letra
This post presents information about Haitian Cubans and showcases one video each of two Haitian Cuban choirs: Creole Choir of Cuba and La Caridad de Ramón. Selected comments from these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to these featured choirs for their for musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT HAITIAN CUBANS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Cuban
A Haitian Cuban (Spanish: Haitiano-Cubano, French: Haïtien Cubain, Haitian Creole: Ayisyen Kiben) is a Cuban citizen of full or partial Haitian ancestry.
Origins
French, Haitian Creole and culture first entered Cuba with the arrival of Haitian immigrants at the start of the 19th century. Haiti was a French colony, and the final years of the 1791-1804 Haitian Revolution brought a wave of French settlers fleeing with their Haitian slaves to Cuba. They came mainly to the east, and especially Guantanamo, where the French later introduced sugar cultivation, constructed sugar refineries and developed coffee plantations.
By 1804, some 30,000 French were living in Baracoa and Maisí, the furthest eastern municipalities of the province.
Haitian immigrant workers (1912-1939)
Due to the United States occupation of Haiti, many Haitian peasants left to find work as laborers in neighboring countries like Cuba. These immigrants lived a fine line trying to maintain their Haitian culture and assimilating enough to be able to work and live in a foreign society. In 1937, over 25,000 Haitians were forcibly removed from Cuba and shipped back to Haiti.[2] This different treatment of migrant laborers is due to several factors. Cuban racists beliefs combined with economic concerns were a direct catalyst for this drastic Haitian exodus.[3]...
Recent years
Later, Haitians continued to come to Cuba to work as braceros (hand workers, from the Spanish word brazo, meaning "arm") in the fields cutting cane. Their living and working conditions were not much better than slavery. Although they planned to return to Haiti, most stayed on in Cuba. For years, many Haitians and their descendants in Cuba did not identify themselves as such or speak Creole. In the eastern part of the island, many Haitians continued to suffer discrimination. But according to the Fidel Castro regime, since 1959, when he took over, this discrimination has stopped.[10] After Spanish, Haitian Creole is the second most-spoken language in Cuba where over 300,000 Haitian immigrants speak it. It is recognized as a language in Cuba and a considerable number of Cubans speak it fluently. Most of these speakers have never been to Haiti and do not possess Haitian ancestry, but merely learned it in their communities. In addition to the eastern provinces, there are also communities in Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey provinces where the population still maintains Creole, their mother tongue. Classes in Creole are offered in Guantanamo, Matanzas and the City of Havana. There is a Creole-language radio program.[11]"...
The choir was founded in 1994 during the 'Special Period' when the Cuban economy fell into a black hole following the end of the USSR and of Soviet support for the revolution. Food was short while homes and work places often went dark due to lack of electricity. It was at this difficult time that members of the Professional Choir of Camagüey who were descendants of Haitians, decided to re-forge the resistance songs and laments of their forebears. Led by their Choir Director Emilia Díaz Chávez, Grupo Vocal Desandann, as they are called in Cuba, revived the songs of their ancestors for modern times. Desandann literally means 'descendants' and as the choir say: "For us music is like food, it feeds the spirit and is a major inspiration for everyday life".
Songs are sung in creole, Cuba's second language, first created by slaves by fusing words together words from their African languages, the Taíno language of Caribbean indigenous people, with French, Spanish and English. Creole was spoken by the choir's parents, grandparents and great grandparents, people doubly displaced, first from Africa then from Haiti. The first wave of Haitians were brought to Cuba as slaves to work in the sugar plantations of the French aristocracy who fled Haiti after the slave revolts of the 1790s. Subsequent waves of Haitians came to the island during 19th and early 20th century, and again in the 1950s during the brutal dictatorship of Papa Doc Duvalier. All lived in the countryside in conditions akin to slavery enduring harsh discrimination until the 1959 Revolution brought with it literacy, education and equality...
The Choir have two albums, Tande-La (2011) and Santiman (2013).
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FEATURED VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated video given first.
Example #1: Creole Choir of Cuba - Tande (music video)
The Creole Choir of Cuba, Uploaded on May 6, 2010
-snip-
Here's information from the video summary of another performance of this song by The Creole Choir of Cuba:
"The Creole Choir of Cuba are called 'Desandann' in their home country which means 'descendants' and with the songs on their forthcoming album 'Tande-La' (a title which translates as 'listen') they tell the stories of their Haitian ancestors who were brought to Cuba to work in near slave conditions on the sugar and coffee plantations.
This live performance of the title track from their album 'Tande-La' was recorded at the 2009 Edinburgh International Festival." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkzPD4_sau0.
-snip-
Here's a comment from the embedded video's discussion thread:
Lesprilib1, 2012
"The original version of this song is from a Haitian vodou-rock band called "Boukan Ginen". "Tande" means "LIsten". The song is about the search for spiritual enlightenment. "Limyè a se sa nou vle, se sa menm nou mande = the light is what we want, this is what we request"."
-snip-
Here's a link to a sound file of Boukan Ginen's recording of Tande (Limyè a) = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHIYgIVjXgQ
-snip-
Click https://dreamsofginen.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/whats-in-a-name/ April 26, 2012, "What’s in a name?" for information about the meaning of the Haitian Creole word "Ginen". Here's an excerpt from that post:
..."Within Haiti, the term “Vodou” was not, until the twentieth century, commonly used to describe the religion as a whole, but only a particular rite and its related dances and drum rhythms...
Haitian Vodou does have an internal name, Sèvis Ginen (Service to Ginen), corresponding to the closest thing one will find in Vodou to an affirmation of faith, the often employed phrase, “Mwen sèvi Ginen” (“I serve Ginen”). The word Ginen (alternately called Gine, nan Ginen, peyi Ginen, Lafrik Ginen, etc.) can be literally translated as “Africa.” The word owes obvious debt to the French word Guinée—the name for the region, the so-called Guinea Coast, from which numerous Africans were deported to St. Domingue (present-day Haiti) as slaves during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. However, in the context of Vodou cosmology, the Africa of Ginen is different from the continent presently identified by that name, for which a different Kreyòl word, Afrik or Lafrik, is used. Rather, Ginen is the home of the spirits, a forested island residing simultaneously at the bottom of the cosmic waters (anba dlo) and at the backs of mirrors (do miwa). As a living and accessible mythic past of ancestors, heroes and divine spirits, Ginen serves as a vouchsafe for matters of religious practices and belief.
To say that one serves Ginen it to say that one serves the ancestors and spirits that are perceived to come from, and continue to exist in, Ginen. This mythical present-past is a source of limitless spiritual power, in large part because it is seen as the true source of authentic, which is to say right, religious practice—of konesans (spiritual wisdom) and règleman (ritual knowledge). At the same time that Ginen is a past and an eternal present, Ginen is also a sacred future, a place which is longed for, and which one hopes to see someday. All Vodouisants hope eventually to become holy spirits that can dwell in the utopian world of Ginen. For these reasons, Ginen is in some respects comparable to the Christian idea of heaven, the New Jerusalem of the Revelation of St. John, Augustine’s City of God, Aztlan of the Aztecs, and the Dreaming of Aboriginal Australians"...
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Example #2: Haiti in Cuba - La Caridad de Ramón
Bartolomesincasas, Published on Jul 28, 2012
"La Caridad" is the folklore ensemble of a group of people of Haitian descendance living in a village called Ramón. It is located in a zone of coffee cultivation within the municipality of Palma Soriana. The hamlet lies above the banks of the Cauto river, which flows from the Sierra Maestre in the eastern part of Cuba. Like the groups "Gagá de Thompsón" and "Gagá de Barranca", "La Caridad" is a "grupo portador" - a safekeeper of Haitian popular traditions in the Cuban context.
The group was founded by the late Tomacito Poll in 1983, and several family members still belong to La Caridad (His son Pochólo -Victor- started another roots-band called "Ibó"). All these bands have links to the Casa del Caribe in Santiago de Cuba. Fundación Interchange and Revista Batey are making an effort to uncover the history of Haitian inmigration and processes of cultural transformation in Cuba. The idea is to publish a book with dvd next year.
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
2013
kmokedoyo
"Thats haitian creole, for sure :) they are cubans and their ancestors are from haiti, those ladies who were singing and dancing, their father was and Haitian houngan who came from Jacmel Hati. they may have spanish accent when they speak, but believe thats haitian creole, just and old one :)"
**
Guy Edouard
"these people are Cuban born with Haitian Ascentry....meaning years ago when Haiti became independent it became a save zone for any runaway slave in the Western Hemisphere ....so that culture is from Haiti and they are speaking Haitian Creole but with a Spanish accent cuz they were born in Cuba not Haiti but they still posses haitian blood. So for you people not familiar making idiotic comments stop it."
**
Reply
Charles Davis
"Exactly!!! I afro-cuban and I totally understand, consorte!! :)"
**
Angie Marie
"My husband said it's real kreyol they are speaking and the song says: rele yo pou mwen (calling something to come) voodoo music.. soon as he heard the music he said that lol"
**
2014
Stanley Dougé
"that's not the same creole as we who stayed in Haiti speaks it's probably overtaken by the spanish interesting the french became second place in the creole it's beautiful bondye beni nou my beautiful compatriots"
**
Richardo Marco
"Jesus Raydel Sanchez yo soy haitiano que habla Creole ! y yo entiendo casi todo de lo que estan cantando , el idioma se ha alterado un poco pero todavia se entiende ! viva Haiti viva CUba !"
[translation from Google translate: "Jesus Sanchez Raydel I'm Haitian Creole speaking! and I understand most of what they are singing, the language has changed a bit but still means! Haiti viva viva Cuba!"
**
2016
Nickalous Harris
"Would love to learn more about my the history of my Hatian ancestors. Also would love to travel to Haiti too. There is so many black people in North America who don't even know who they're descendants of. It's SAD. NO KNOWLEDGE. Especially when you have been robbed of it"
This post provides information about Cuban Rumba music and dance and showcases five video examples of that music and dance. Information abut guaguancó, cajon, and claves is also included in this post along with selected comments from the video given as Example #1 are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all those who are featured in the videos that are embedded in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT CUBAN RUMBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_rumba
"Rumba is a secular genre of Cuban music involving dance, percussion, and song. It originated in the northern regions of Cuba, mainly in urban Havana and Matanzas, during the late 19th century. It is based on African music and dance traditions, namely Abakuá and yuka, as well as the Spanish-based coros de clave. According to Argeliers León, rumba is one of the major "genre complexes" of Cuban music,[1] and the term rumba complex is now commonly used by musicologists.[2][3] This complex encompasses the three traditional forms of rumba (yambú, guaguancó and columbia), as well as their contemporary derivatives and other minor styles.
Traditionally performed by poor workers of African descent in streets and solares (courtyards), rumba remains one of Cuba's most characteristic forms of music and dance. Vocal improvisation, elaborate dancing and polyrhythmic drumming are the key components of all rumba styles. Cajones (wooden boxes) were used as drums until the early 20th century, when they were replaced by tumbadoras (conga drums). During the genre's recorded history, which began in the 1940s, there have been numerous successful rumba bands such as Los Papines, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Clave y Guaguancó, AfroCuba de Matanzas and Yoruba Andabo.
Since its early days, the genre's popularity has been largely confined to Cuba, although its legacy has reached well beyond the island. In the United States it gave its name to the so-called "ballroom rumba" or rhumba, and in Africa soukous is commonly referred to as "Congolese rumba" (despite being actually based on son cubano). Its influence in Spain is testified by rumba flamenca and derivatives such as Catalan rumba.
Etymology
The origin of the term rumba remains unknown and no etymological information is provided by the Diccionario de la lengua española.[4] According to Pascual and Coromines, the word derives from "rumbo", meaning "uproar" (and previously "pomp") and also "the course of a ship", which itself may derive from the word "rombo" ("rhombus"), a symbol used in compasses.[5] However, in Cuba the term might have originated from a West African or Bantu language, due to its similarity to other Afro-Caribbean words such as tumba, macumba, mambo and tambó.[2] During the 19th century in Cuba, specifically in urban Havana and Matanzas, people of African descent originally used the word rumba as a synonym for party. According to Olavo Alén, in these areas "[over time] rumba ceased to be simply another word for party and took on the meaning both of a defined Cuban musical genre and also of a very specific form of dance."[6] The terms rumbón and rumbantela are frequently used to denote rumba performances in the streets.[7][8] Many other terms have been used in Cuba to refer to parties, such as changüí (in Oriente), guateque (in rural regions), tumba (by Afro-Cubans), bembé (associated with Santería), macumba and mambo.
Characteristics
Instrumentation
Rumba instrumentation has varied historically depending on the style and the availability of the instruments. The core instruments of any rumba ensemble are the claves, two sticks that are struck against each other, and the conga drums: quinto (lead drum, highest-pitched), tres dos (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest-pitched). Other common instruments include the catá or guagua, a wooden cylinder; the palitos, sticks to struck the catá; shakers such as the chekeré and the maracas; scrapers such as the güiro; bells, and cajones, wooden boxes that preceded the congas.[2][9][10][11] During the 1940s, the genre experienced a mutual influence with son cubano, especially by Ignacio Piñeiro's Septeto Nacional and Arsenio Rodríguez's conjunto, which lead to the incorporation of instruments such as the tres, the double bass, the trumpet and the piano, and the removal of idiophones.[12] At the same time, Cuban big bands in collaboration with artists such as Chano Pozo began to include authentic rumbas among their dance numbers. The group AfroCuba de Matanzas, founded in 1957, added batá drums to the traditional rumba ensemble in their style known as batá-rumba. More recently, a cappella rumba has been performed by the Cuban ensemble Vocal Sampling, as heard in their song "Conga Yambumba"."...
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INFORMATION ABOUT GUAGUANCO
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guaguanc%C3%B3
"Guaguancó (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡwaɣwaŋˈko]) is a subgenre of Cuban rumba, combining percussion, voices, and dance. There are two main styles: Havana and Matanzas...
Percussion
battery of three conga drummers: the tumba (lowest), tres dos (middle, playing a counter-clave), and quinto (highest, and lead drum). These parts may also be played on cajones, wooden boxes.
claves usually played by a singer
guagua (hollowed piece of bamboo)
maraca and/or a chekeré playing the main beats
Other instruments may be used on occasion, for example spoons, palitos (wooden sticks striking the side of the drum), and tables and walls played like drums."...
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INFORMATION ABOUT CAJONS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caj%C3%B3n
"A cajón (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈxon] ka-HON, "box", "crate" or "drawer") is nominally a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front or rear faces (generally thin plywood) with the hands, fingers, or sometimes various implements such as brushes, mallets, or sticks.
Cajones are primarily played in Afro-Peruvian music, as well as contemporary styles of flamenco and jazz among other genres.[1] The term cajón is also applied to other unrelated box drums used in Latin American music such as the cajón de rumba used in Cuban rumba and the cajón de tapeo used in Mexican folk music…
Origins and evolution
The cajón is the most widely used Afro-Peruvian musical instrument since the late 18th century.[3] Slaves of west and central African origin in the Americas are considered to be the source of the cajón drum. Currently, the instrument is common in musical performance throughout some of the Americas, the Philippines and Spain.
The cajón was developed during the periods of slavery in coastal Peru. The instrument reached a peak in popularity by 1850, and by the end of the 19th century cajón players were experimenting with the design of the instrument by bending some of the planks in the cajón's body to alter the instrument's patterns of sound vibration.[3] After slavery the cajón was spread to a much larger audience including Criollos.
Given that the cajón comes from slave musicians in the Spanish colonial Americas, there are two complementary origin theories for the instrument. It is possible that the drum is a direct descendant of a number of boxlike musical instruments from west and central Africa, especially Angola, and the Antilles. These instruments were adapted by slaves from the Spanish shipping crates at their disposal.[4] In port cities like Matanzas, Cuba, codfish shipping crates and small dresser drawers became similar instruments.
Another theory states that slaves simply used boxes as musical instruments to subvert Spanish colonial bans on music in predominantly African areas;[5] In this way, cajones could easily be disguised as seats or stools, thus avoiding identification as musical instruments. In all likelihood it is a combination of these factors - African origins and Spanish suppression of slave music - that led to the cajón's creation."...
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INFORMATION ABOUT CLAVES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claves
"Claves (Spanish pronunciation: ['klaβes],[1] Anglicized pronunciation: CLA(H)-vays) are a percussion instrument (idiophone), consisting of a pair of short (about 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in), thick dowels. Traditionally they are made of wood, typically rosewood, ebony or grenadilla. In modern times they are also made of fibreglass or plastics.
When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound.
Claves are very important in Cuban music, such as the son and guaguancó. They are often used to play a repeating rhythmic figure throughout a piece, known as clave, a key pattern (or guide-pattern, timeline patter, phrasing referent, bell pattern) that is also found in African music and Brazilian music"...
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FEATURED VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest published video presented first.
Example #1: Rumba en casa de Amado con Inés Carbonell
guarachon63, Uploaded on Oct 6, 2009
Rumba de cajón con Amado de Jesús Dedeu Hernández, Inés Carbonell, Dainy Grisel Cárdenas, Miguel Chappottín, Lázaro Rizo, Guillermo Triana, Juan de Dios, Raúl Gonzáles Brito "Laly", Amado de Jesús Dedeu García "Amadito"
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Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with Google translate added for comments in Spanish)
javyenergy, 2014
"¡Bendita Isla Cubana! Bendita su música, bendita su gente, nadie como ellos para Gozar... llevo años anhelando pisar algún día esa bendita tierra... ojalá el Sr. me ayude a cumplir algún día este viejo sueño... ¡Un saludo y un fuerte abrazo desde México a mis hermanos cubanos!"
Blessed Isla Cubana! Blessed his music, blessed his people, no one like them ... Enjoy spent years longing tread that blessed land someday ... hopefully Mr. help me meet sometime this old dream ... a greeting and a strong Mexico hug from my Cuban brothers!
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"longing tread" = longing to journey to [walk through]
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Reply
Ed King. 2016
"+javyenergy Gracias, lagrimas salen oyendo El Guaguanco y pensando en mi Cuba"
+ Javi energy Thanks, tears out listening guaguancó and thinking about my Cuba
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"tears out" = I cry
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Reply
Dinastía Mixteca", 2016
"+Ed King Tu tierra es hermosa, he visto en vídeos sus calles y sus alrededores, no hay tierra tan linda como la heroica isla cubana, soy un admirador de toda su música, especialmente del son y del tres cubano, mi viejo sueño de estar ahí no se ha cumplido aún, pero sé que algún día respiraré su aire y veré la puesta de sol en esa bendecida tierra."
Your land is beautiful, I have seen in videos streets and surroundings, no earth as pretty as the heroic Cuban island, I'm a fan of all your music, especially the son and the Cuban tres, my old dream of being there not he has fulfilled yet, but I know someday breathe its air and see the sunset in this blessed land.
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Reply
Ed King, 2016
"+Dinastía Mixteca, Gracias, yo espero regresar algun dia, mi familia tenia temas desagradable con el gobierno de Castro pero yo pienso que eso ahora esta en el pasado. Un dia viajare con mi esposa y mi hijo que nunca han visto a la isla. Gracias otra vez por su gentileza"
Thanks, I hope to return one day, my family had unpleasant with the Castro government issues but I think that now in the past. One day I will travel with my wife and son who have never seen the island. Thank you again for your kindness
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Why You Asking, 2016
"hello , can someone please tell me what is this song ? is it folk song ? does it have name ? where can i get lyrics and translation thank you"
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Ed King, 2016
"+Why You Asking This is a Cuban genre called Guaguancó, most of the time is improvised and about having a good time. This genre is considered very spiritual from its roots and many go into a trans when it is done for religious purposes.
They sing about African gods, (orishas), saints & spirits from Africa who were later given Catholic names so slaves would not be caught worshiping their African religion. Many slaves became Catholic later on and from that combination Santeria emerged. Saint Barbara my father's patron Saint was Changó, I was given Yemayá as my Patron Saint."
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Reply
Why You Asking, 2016
"Thank You!"
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Example #2: AQUI ESTAN LOS MUÑEQUITOS-LOS MUÑEQUITOS DE MATANZAS 1ra parte
Ramon Mirbon, Uploaded on Sep 26, 2010
GUAGUANCO,DOCUMENTAL PARA LA TV,CONLA PARTICIPACION DE RUBEN BLADES 1RA PARTE
http://www.boogalu.com
Cuban music-dance DVDs / Personalized Cuba Travel / Film-Music Videos in Cuba
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Example #4: Lisbet Tellefsen Tapes - Rumba in San Isidro 24 Nov 1985
guarachon63, Published on Mar 31, 2014
Clave y Guaguancó with singers Juan Campos Cárdenas "Chan", Julio Embale (Half-brother of Carlos Embale), Miguel Chappottín, Gloria Mora, Changrilón. On Cajones: Quinto: Víctor Quesada "Tatín"; Caja: Alfredo Gomes Paula "El niño"; Cajita: Gustavo Martines "Cucharas". Dancer: Peky Pekín.
2:40 - Saludo/Respectable Público
7:49 - Que alegría me da (canta Changrilón)
9:49 - Avísale
19:08 - No me culpas a mi (canta Julio Embale)
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Example #5: Los munequitos de matanzas Un congo 2014
This post presents general information about Rumba dances as well as information & video examples of the three different types of Cuban Rumba dances: Guaguancó, Yambú, and Columbia.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE RUMBA DANCE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumba
"Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no religious connections.[2] People of African descent in Havana and Matanzas originally used the word rumba as a synonym for party.[3] Olavo Alén states that over time, "rumba ceased to be simply another word for party and took on the meaning both of a defined Cuban musical genre and also of a very specific form of dance."[4] The term spread in the 1930s and 1940s to the faster popular music of Cuba (the "Peanut Vendor" was a classic), where it was used as a catch-all term, rather like salsa today. Also, the term is used in the international Latin-American dance syllabus, but in reference to a slower dance based on the bolero-son. Ballroom rumba, or rhumba, is essentially son* as opposed to the older folkloric rumba. Similarly, the African style of pop music called African Rumba or soukous is also son-based....
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_(music)
"The Son cubano is a style of music that originated in Cuba and gained worldwide popularity in the 1930s. Son combines the structure and elements of Spanish canción and the Spanish guitar with African rhythms and percussion instruments of Bantu origin. The Cuban son is one of the most influential and widespread forms of Latin American music: its derivatives and fusions, especially salsa, have spread across the world.[1]
The word son (one of the words that translates to English 'rhythm' from Spanish) has also come to be used for other traditional rural musical styles of Spanish-speaking countries."
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE THREE MAIN FORMS OF RUMBA DANCING
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumba
"The three main forms of rumba today are yambú, and Columbia. The differences between them are in the choreography and the pace.
Guaguancó is a couple dance of sexual competition between the male and female. The female seductively moves her upper and lower body in contrary motion, and holding the ends of her skirt, “opens” and “closes” it in rhythm with the music. The male tries to distract her with fancy (often counter-metric) steps, accented by the quinto, until he is in position to surprise her with a single thrust of his pelvis. This erotic movement is called the vacunao (‘vaccination’ or ‘injection’), a gesture derived from yuka and makuta, symbolizing sexual penetration. The vacunao can also be expressed with a sudden gesture of the hand or foot. The quinto often accents the vacunao, usually as the resolution to a phrase spanning more than one cycle of clave. The female reacts to the vacunao by quickly turning away, bringing the ends of her skirts together, or covering her groin area with her hand (botao), symbolically blocking the “injection.” A male dancer rarely succeeds in surprising his partner. The dance is performed with good-natured humor.[16]
...Yambú is a couple dance like guaguancó but much slower. Vacunao is not used; the phrase en el yambú no se vacuna, "in yambú there is no vaccination", is commonly heard during yambú performances.
Columbia is a fast and highly acrobatic solo male dance."
Editor: Mark Stephens
Rumba is one of the most erotic and sensual of all the Latin dance styles due to its slow rhythms and hip movements that create intense bodily expressions. Rumba is related to Afro-Cuban music, which was introduced to Cuba by African slaves in the sixteenth century. It is also influenced by the music brought to Cuba by Spanish Colonizers. There are several different types of Rumba that have evolved over the years
Early American Rumba:
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a type of Rumba that is characterised by a fast tempo was introduced in to the American dance salons. The tempo is actually nearly twice as fast as the Ballroom Rumba styles...
Many of American Rumba’s dance moves are similar in form to Cha-cha-cha figures. It is thought that perhaps Cha-cha-cha developed from Rumba...
Cuban Rumba:
Cuban Rumba originated in the nineteenth century in the Cuban provinces of Havana and Matanzas. It is entirely different to the Ballroom Rumba and its explicit sexual overtones resulted in its suppression and restriction in many areas, as it was considered indecent and even dangerous. It developed in rural areas, and is still danced today in rural and more urban areas, particularly in areas of large black communities. There are three main types of Cuban Rumba – Yambu, Guaguanco and Columbia:
Rumba Yambu is the slowest of the Rumba styles, and also the oldest, and often involves movements that feign frailty.
Rumba Guaguanco is faster than Yambu and consists of more complex rhythms. It is a flirtatious dance that involves a dance move called the ‘vacunao’, whereby the man’s movements are aggressive and sensually provocative, and the woman’s are defensive. Both Yambu and Guaguanco originated from the suburbs of big cities.
Rumba Columbia is fast and energetic. It is a solo dance that has a 6/8 beat and originated in the more rural areas of Cuba. Creative and acrobatic movements allow the dancer (traditionally male) to demonstrate displays of agility and strength. Humorous overtones also expresses the dancer’s confidence.
Editor: Nichola Manning"
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FEATURED VIDEOS: Rumba Guaguancó
Example #1: Del complejo de la Rumba: Guaguancó
Minou Spits Uploaded on Nov 7, 2009
Mercedes and Yasser (two members of the viaDanza, salsa dance holidays to Cuba team) are performing the rumba at our great location where we have the hottest salsa party in Havana.
Club Salseando Chevere www.club-salseando-chevere.com.
This is part of the lessons of viaDanza.
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Example #2: Rumba Guaguancó - "El Solar de los 6" - Cultura de Cuba - viaDanza Tanzreisen
cannon0815, Uploaded on May 15, 2011
http://www.viadanza.com/
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FEATURED VIDEOS: Rumba Yambu
Example #1: Yambu Stg de Cuba 1.3 (from djembe.fi)
DjembeFi, Uploaded on May 24, 2007
Yambu, Stg.de Cuba style. Yambu is a style of rumba caracterised by slow dance, imitating old's people dance movements. Visit www.djembe.fi for more photos and videos.
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The dancing begins at 6:40 in this video.
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Example #2: Rumba Yambú - "El Solar de los 6" - Cultura de Cuba - viaDanza Tanzreisen
cannon0815, Uploaded on May 27, 2011
http://www.viadanza.com/
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FEATURED VIDEOS: Rumba Columbia
Example #1: Wilmer — rumba columbia
Андрей Логинов, Published on Mar 4, 2012
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Example #2: El Palenque Habana- Rumba columbia (Sabado de la Rumba) 2012, CFNC, Rumberos de cuba
salsa4water, Published on Sep 7, 2012
Filmed in Sabado de la Rumba in summer 2012, Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. . The group playing are Rumberos de cuba, arguably the best rumba group in cuba of the moment. Featuring among many random dancers, professional dancers from conjunto folklorico, the director (the older last male dancer) of conjunto folklorico and non-professional (but trying hard) Sam from Salsa4water Glasgow before being manned off the stage by a 5 year old. ENJOY!
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Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all the dancers, singers, and musicians and thanks to the publishers of these featured YouTube videos.
