Bomba highlights the call and response format typically associated with African music. The second drum is known as tambor primero, subidor or primo. 13 One bass drum controls the rhythm and is known as either buleador or tambor segundo. Instruments employed in bomba music include at least two drums, cua (a hollow bamboo shoot or a barrel hit with two drums sticks) and maracas. 11 The dance and drummer’s beat is almost entirely improvised, both trying to outdo the other in a competition. 10 One of the most important things to note is that it is not the rhythm that determines the dancers’ movements, but rather the dialogue with the drummer. Only after this do the drummers and dancers enter the mix. 9 The lead singer begins singing, which sets the rhythm of the song. Bomba is typically played in 6/8 or 4/4 meter. 8Ĭharacterized by a competition of sorts between a drummer and dancer, bomba clearly looks to highlight the rhythm of the drums and not the lyrics of the song. 7 Puerto Rican immigrants in the United States preserved their identity by continuing to immerse themselves in Puerto Rican food, music and language. 6 In the case of bomba, scholars have claimed the music and dance has even contributed to the preservation of a unified “black identity" connection between bomba music and a sense of identity is continued within the trend of migration from Puerto Rico to the United States. 5īailes de bomba continue to be important social events, as they are often included in community gatherings. 4 Additionally, there is evidence of Caribbean, Dutch Antilles, French Antilles and former Dutch Antilles as having contributed to the development of this genre. 3 This history explains why bomba contains many elements that are distinctly African in nature, such as the great degree of improvisation and the drums as a focal point. Knowledge of the dance was passed down within Afro-Puerto Rican communities and as a result knowledge of the dance is still rather restricted. Historically, bomba has been associated with rebellion and resistance, as well as taking on a religious aspect. 2 As Afro-Puerto Ricans spread through out the island they carried the music with them. 1 Brought to Puerto Rico by slaves from West Africa, bomba was originally popular among plantation slaves, which helps explain why the music was exclusive to coastal communities and communities centered on sugarcane cultivation, especially Ponce, Loíza Aldea and Mayaguez. Bomba has a 300 year old history within Puerto Rico and is recognized as unique to the island.
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