Cuba’s rich culture and heritage is a melting pot of mixed ancestry and race. As the Spanish came to colonize Cuba, they brought in over a million slaves from Africa to work on the plantations starting in the 16th century until the abolition of slavery in 1886. During those years, African slaves were coerced to assimilate as much as possible into Spanish Cuban society. However, they fortunately had rather creative ways at retaining their own unique culture and identity through their religion Santeria, music, and dance. One of the benefits of the Cuban revolution was the creation of a more equal society. Although racism still exists a little bit it is much less prevalent than in other parts of the world.
Trinidad, one of the most beautiful colonial towns in all of Cuba, has a strong Afro-Cuban culture. One of the highlights of our visit to Trinidad was a live show of Afro-Cuban music and dancing at the Palenque de los Congoes Reales in the heart of Colonial Trinidad. Over tangy mojitos, we enjoyed a live performance of rumba dance to traditional Afro-Cuban music.
Rumba was inspired by a fertility dance of African Bantu origin and its characteristic pelvic movements known as “vacunao” are common throughout the dance. Rumba was created in the poor neighborhoods of Havana and Matanzas at the end of the 19th century and is one of the most common kinds of dance found throughout Cuba along with salsa.
What I loved best was the lively beat of the various types of drums and the vibrant colors of the dancers. At the end they dragged our group onto the floor and taught us a few moves. Those pictures I had to leave out of the post due to pure embarrassment. We obviously did not have the same kind of moves as the locals.
The dance also reenacted scenes from different stories and myths prevalent in Afro-Cuban culture.
The energy of the music and the dance was sensational. It was a great way to be introduced to another dynamic part of Cuban culture and life.
This man was weaving and selling handmade baskets. I couldn’t resist buying one for my home.
This post was inspired by the Weekly Photo Challenge: Twist. Although I tried my best to capture the dancers with their rapid twists and twirls, I discovered that photographing movement is quite difficult.
Wonderful choice. Esp love your first shot.
Thank you Tina! 🙂
Cool.
Thanks!
I’d absolutely love to go to Cuba one of these days. My husband is Jamaican so he can travel to Cuba without any restrictions and without having to be a part of a special program. It’s one of my goals to get my Jamaican citizenship in the near future and once I do, I’ll be on the first flight to Havana! I’ve always been fascinated by Cuban culture and I really love these pictures! It’s commendable that Afro-Cubans were able to hold on to some of their African customs.
That is wonderful! I truly hope that our government gets rid of the ridiculous embargo and also let people travel freely to Cuba. It is over 50 years old! Hope you can get there too! 🙂 I would love to visit Jamaica someday too! 🙂
Oh those drums and that music. It makes you want to get up and dance.
Leslie
i agree! maybe we can schedule a cyber dance and rumba away our worries!
Way to go, let’s rumba!
Leslie
Yes! Sounds wonderful!
I sure enjoyed dancing in Cuba Leslie! 🙂
I can imagine how much fun it was to watch. Lovely colors on the women’s dresses.
janet
Thanks Janet! It was fun and the best part was dancing with them on stage at the end after an icy cold mojito!
I would love to watch something like that. I’m sure it would be a wonderful sight to see. I would really appreciate it if you would check out my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kbeezyisviral
Thanks! Will do! 🙂
Great pics for the theme, Nicole. I love the vibrant colours of the satin dress, and you last pic is wonderful. Such an art to make beautiful basket work.
Thanks Sylvia! I enjoyed the costumes so much and realized also how hard it is to capture motion pictures on film! Many didn’t turn out!!!
what a terrific look at another interesting aspect of Cuban culture
Thanks Jo! 🙂
I did not know that the Rumba originated in Cuba. Love the colors of the costumes.
Thanks Sue! 🙂
That’s got all our toes tapping! 🙂 Like Ad, I especially like that last shot. It looks like he’s making a little horse for a grandchild?
Thanks Jo!!!! 🙂