Friday, July 4, 2008

La Rumba Cubana

I founded these fantastic documentaries from Cuba about what is Rumba. Where it comes from, what the meaning of the word Rumba, what's the significance of the dance. How feel cubans about this Folk Dance and much more. The Clips are in spanish.
I tried my best to translate the most important concepts of each clip for those that don't speak spanish. Any suggestion, correction, better translation are very welcome for revise.

From A Cuban Documentary " La Rumba"
Director Oscar Valdez 1978 Part I

1st Speach

For the Cuban population this is a comercial manifestation and a false product of the Rumba.
2nd Speach:
This is a real Rumba. However, there are many cubans that doesn't admit it as a part of their culture.
-Why?
-Rumba is one of the most important and legitimates manifestations that this country has created. Why the prejudice?
WHERE THE WORD RUMBA COMES FROM?
THE WORD RUMBA IS NOT CUBAN...NEITHER AFRICAN



3rd Speech
...The Guaguanco is the dance that introduce more elements from Spain.
The singer use a lyric format called "decima" (* 10 verses)
4rd Speech
... in the cuban population among the "bailadores" *1(*popular dancers) it doesn't exist the "bata de rumbera" (* rumba dress). Sometimes, as Celeste Mendoza did, this kind of dress that it was popular between used 1880 and 1918. And this clothing is also taken from Spain. AS well as the "handkercheef" that is common and appear in the tradicional dances in latin american.
The word Rumba comes from Spain but not from the dance. It is a word that it was use to make reference to those women of " vida alegre". Women of "rumbo" ( way). The word "rumba" then was used to calificate all that was "frivolo", there for as well as the fiestas of the people. La Rumba from the beginning was consider with prejudice.
Is it posible that a word produce such a prejudice that sometines still exist among cubans?

Interview with Saldiguera and Florencio Calle, performance by Columbia del Puerto de Cardenas, feautering dancer Machaco. Part II

Interviewer: -Here we are with two famous rumberos Esteban Lastra and Flrencio Calle.
For cubans it is dificult to identify them, as long as we say that we talking with Saldigueras and Catalito Mulense. Inmediatly we think about the big band very well known as "Los munequitos de Matanza".

Saldigueras: -I've always said and will keep saying it. The singing of the Guaguanco, the inspiration it comes from the spanish. All those that sing Rumba, have to have " this" that comes from the spanish because when you sing ...guararaaa guaroi aroii ra ra...that is not from cuba that comes from the "curros"from those people from Spain. Now, thare are people is not agreed with it but for me that I have a spanish father and grandfather and I use to listen them singing and they have that way to sing and I think I got that way to sign from them since I was a little kid.

Interviewer: -Well "timbero mayor" ,what you can tell us about "la Columbia"

Calle :-The Columbia is born in Sabanilla, province of Matanza, the Columbia in Matanza has a extraordinare and strongly significance.
1st Speech
L
a Columbia is a Rumba with a "country character" and it is localized mainly in the province of Matanza. The lirycs are not always in spanish. It is performed by only one dancer that perform with mastership a series of steps and movements following the rythm of the "tambor quinto" ( 5th drumm). The dance recalls the passion and destreza of warriors. Its religios antecedente for sure was ritual facing the inmiment presence of the enemy.
Let's see this columbia performed by an old man
of more than 70 year old. Part III

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