Creolization in Caribbean music- Spanish-speaking Caribbean

 Creolization in Caribbean music: Spanish-speaking Caribbean

    Throughout my blog posts, we explored the various ways in which creolization had manifested in Caribbean music. We started with the English-speaking Caribbean, then moved to French, then Dutch. Now, we will be looking into one of my favorites; the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. The countries touched on in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean include Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. However, for the purpose of this post, I will be highlighting the musical styles of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. 

Creolization in the Music of Puerto Rico

(Bomba Is an Essential Expression of Puerto Rican Culture, 2023)

    Puerto Rico, located between the Dominican Republic and the British Virgin Islands, is an island of immense history. The country, associated with the U.S. and a part of the Commonwealth since 1952, was colonized by Spain and has both Hispanic and African influence (Thompson, 2001). African and Hispanic influences can be seen in the country's various genres, though not much documentation of it can be found due to natural disasters and wars that destroyed them (Thompon, 2001). Despite this, Puerto Rico's music genres have continued to not only survive but evolve. The musical style I will be highlighting is the Puerto Rican Bomba.

(LFX Network, 2017)

        Bomba, as documented in the video above, is one of Puerto Rico's "deepest cultural traditions" (Bomba Is an Essential Expression of Puerto Rican Culture, 2023). This traditional dance is characterized by its use of drums, call-and-response singing,  and spontaneous dancing by either a single dancer or a group of dancers within a circle (Thompson, 2001). However, what is particularly unique about this dance is that the rhythm of the drums is in tandem with the rhythm of the dancer's feet. The video displayed above fully encompasses this tradition as one is able to see the elements of the dance and follow the rhythm of the drums. I was particularly impressed with the second dancer, who fully took control of the drummers, who beat to the rhythm of her movements. I also thought that the crowd participation also added to the familial feel of the performance. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Creolization of Music In The Dominican Republic

    

(Nartey, 2022)

    

    The Dominican Republic, which makes up half of Hispaniola shared with Haiti, has an extensive history of music and dance. Much like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic has both Spanish and African roots. The country's origin can be traced back to the Arawak Taino tribe which encompassed the island until they were colonized by the Spanish in 1492 (Davis &  Austerlitz, 2001). Both West and Central African influences can be seen in the culture of the Dominican Republic due to the slaves which settled there. One genre of music and dance which showcases the fusion of European and African influence is Dominican Merengue.

(Vazquez, 2013)

Merengue is the most well-known musical style of the Dominican Republic and was first described as a " ballroom dance related to the pan-Caribbean danza" (Davis &  Austerlitz, 2001). Merengue is typically done by individual couples, rather than groups, and is characterized by its Afro-Caribbean rhythmic inflections. This is seen as the percussion of the drums and the dancers' hips move in tandem. Merengue music, though having evolved over time, typically consists of instruments such as the tambora (a double-sided drum), the güira (metal scraper), the button accordion, and sometimes the alto saxophone (Davis &  Austerlitz, 2001). In the video above, dancers perform the Folklore Merengue to Compadre Pedro Juan. While the song is a recording, one is still able to hear the instrumentation of the wind instruments, the percussion of the tambora, and the string instruments. One is also able to see the connection between the movement of the dance and the music through the choreography of the dance itself. I also loved to see audience participation through their cheers!
Both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic have African and Hispanic influences in their cultures. Such influence results in various musical and dance styles like those discussed in this post. Despite being two different nations, one is still able to see the connection the countries share through their heritage. Each nation is beautiful in its own right, highlighting one of the greatest qualities of the Caribbean; being one of the most musically creative collectives in the world.

References

Bomba is an Essential Expression of Puerto Rican Culture. (2023). Discover Puerto Rico. https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/bomba-is-essential-expression-puerto-rican-culture

Davis, M. E., & Austerlitz, P. (2001). Dominican Republic. Oxford Music Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.44000

LFX Network. (2017, June 3). Baile Merengue Folklorico - Compadre Pedro Juan. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65m-xul1gLg

Nartey, S. (2022, October 11). A look at Merengue, Dominican Republic’s national dance with its unique origins. Face2Face Africa. https://face2faceafrica.com/article/a-look-at-merengue-dominican-republics-national-dance-with-its-unique-origins

Thompson, D. (2001). Puerto Rico. Oxford Music Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.41092

Vazquez, D. (2013). Bomba Puertorriqueña [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZummXOaoXuo