![]() Located 20 minutes east of the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan on the northeastern coast, the town of Loiza is unlike any other part of the country. 29th Fiesta Boricua de Bandera a Banderaįiesta Boricua is one of the largest and most important branded festivals of the Latino community in the Midwest where the best musical, culinary, and artisan proponents of Puerto Rican culture.MISSION STATEMENT AfriCaribe is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, research, promotion, and development of the Puerto Rican and Caribbean cultures through music, dance, theater, and other artistic media. The musical instruments used in the “bomba” are usually two drums called “bombas” one smaller than the other, two “cua” or “palillos” – sticks and a “maraca”, dried gourd that is shaken. Everybody took turns dancing and playing the drums. When the dance started, one of the dancers gave cues to the drummer, who in turn answered back with a rhythm following the dancer. Initially, the musicians and the newcomers practiced, but soon the real show started. As people gathered to listen the drums, the crowd, including children, grew. Sometimes these names indicated the country or origin, such as “holandes” (Holland), and “danua” (Denmark) others by the way they were danced, like “lero” (the phonetic interpretation of the French “le rose”) which is a dance performed in a circle shaped somewhat like a rose.īomba dances were performed outdoors with a few musicians. Its African origins included such names as: “cocobale”, “lero”, “cunya”, among others. Historians say that the “bomba” dances were influenced by African and French cultures. The bomba dance is composed of an array of dances and songs with no specific choreographic characteristics. The soloist, improvising, begins to sing and the choir answers back Usually there are no more than two voices in the choir. The vocal part of the plena is performed by a soloist and a choir. ![]() ![]() later were added the guitar, the “cuatro” or six-string guitar, the “guiro” or gourd, “macaras”, “congas” and drums. A well-known verse from a plena song, roughly translated, indicates that in fact it is from Ponce:Īt the beginning of the 1920’s, the predominant instruments used for the plena were on or tow “panderetas” or tambourines. Origins of Plena y BombaĪccording to most historians, the plena was born in Ponce and later became popular throughout the island. Occasionally people heard the husband telling his wife, whose name was Anna, in their language: “Play, Anna ! Play, Anna !” It is possible that the word “plena” is derived from this phonetic interpretation. People danced and sang outside under the bright light of the “luna llena” or “luna plena” – the full moon.Īnother vesion narrates the story of a couple from Saint Kitts, an island southeast of Puerto Rico, which used to play a guitar and a “pandereta” or tambourine along the streets of Ponce, the largest city in the South of Puerto Rico. Social activities were usually celebrated on Saturdays and Sundays. The first, traces its roots to the beginning of the 20th Century. There are several theories as to the origins of this indigenous music. In other words, it embellishes themes that lure the imagination of the people. The philosophical element is also present. Themes included religion, local and national events, recipes, advice, and superstition. In Puerto Rico, it was influenced by people with African heritage. ![]() Like the Calypso from Trinidad, the “plena” is characterized by its simplicity and repetition, like all folkloric music, it is spontaneous expression of everyday occurrences. The “plena” and “bomba” are still thriving in Puerto Rico. ![]()
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