1817: December: King Fernando VII of Spain writes, "the impossibility of finding Indians to do the job of preparing and cultivating the land requires that this work be given to more robust hands". Despite an 1817 agreement with Britain, ending the slave trade, slaves are illegally imported and in larger numbers. Between 1821 and 1831 more than 300 expeditions brought more than 60,000 slaves to Cuba. Among these slaves (before 1830), are 2 important men for the history of bata drums. (A Batá drum is a double-headed drum shaped like an hourglass with one cone larger than the other. The percussion instrument is used primarily for the use of religious or semi-religious purposes for the native culture from the land of Yoruba, located in Nigeria, as well as by worshippers of Santería in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and in the United States. The Batá drum popular function is entertainment and to convey messages. Its early function was as a drum of different gods, drum of royalty, drum of ancestors and drum of politicians. Batá drum impacted on all spheres of life.) Juan ‘the lame’ Ayanbi and Filomeno García, Atanda Falubi. Juan was a Babalawo, Osainista and Bata drummer. Filomeno was a Babalawo, Carver/sculptor and Olubata (drum leader). The work of these 2 men would restore the true bata drums to Cuba
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 22:05:03 +0000
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