the Cuban experience

I finally have time to catch up with myself and finish this travel-blog. It already has the unreality of  a dream as I am now back in the UK in the middle of the snow but at least I don’t have Cuban internet connections to contend with.

Despite the technological aspect it was fantastic to be back in Cuba and to see old friends. I was lucky enough to have a few days in Havana either side of a week of intense study in Santiago with my good friends and superb teachers of bata (Diango Sanchez Cobas), Yoruba songs (Yamil Derribal Mengana) and even a bit of orisha dance too (Keiler Brunel Perez).

They are all busy musicians and so there was no shortage of entertainment and opportunities to soak up as much music as possible with rumba rehearsals and gigs. A particular highlight was a fantastic concert at the Casa de la Musica in Santiago with the incredible rumba group Obbatuke supporting the finely honed son/salsa sounds of Son de la Buena Fe. You can see photos as well as some film of Obbatuke (as well as other aspects of Cuban culture) by clicking here.

I also managed to squeeze in a very brief trip to Guantanamo. I had hoped for some more time there to study some of the incredible Changui bongo rhythms that Jose is such a master of here in the UK. That will have to wait for another trip. There was just enough time to get to el Cobre a town just outside Santiago where the patron saint of Cuba is honoured, La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre (The Virgin of Charity of Cobre). The tradition is that she appeared to some fishermen who were in trouble at sea. She saved them and the church in Cobre was built in her honour. In Santería she is identified with the orisha Ochun, the goddess of sensuality, love and charity. In connection with her role as the patron saint of Cuba there is an interesting patakí that relates the story that Yemaya the goddess of the sea saw her children being forced to leave Africa to go to Cuba as slaves. She sent Ochun to go with them but before she left Ochun’s skin was made lighter so that she could relate to all the people of her new land.

I had only a few days in Havana but did get to attend a cajon sagrado, a ceremony not for the orishas but performed for the spirits of a persons ancestors. It is called a cajon because the instruments used are boxes derived from the crates that served as makeshift drums in the ports of Havana and Matanzas. These cajones are also used in the rumba that originated over a hundred years ago in the same cities. As well as the obvious African element to these ceremonies there are strong elements of Espritismo with the use of white cloths, candles and vessels of water as well as many Christian prayers.

My last day was spent on the beach. Luckily (from my perspective!) I took my ukulele along as my Cuban friend and I met up with some Italian folks and another Cuban guy, Wilber, who happened to be a top reggaeton singer. This is the new hip hop influenced music style that is hugely popular in Latin America. Not sure whether the new sound will take off all over the continent but our neighbours on the beach seemed to like it.

Please have a look at the Gallery which has our You Tube clips of some of the events in the blog from the Dominican Republic and Cuba. These can also be viewed on our Facebook page. I am currently only able to upload the sound file of the ukulele/reggaeton experiment to the Facebook page, have a listen if you can its bound to be the next big thing!!