Hello everyone!
In today’s blog post, I will be talking about music’s connection to social change. Social change is another example of the vast impacts of music shown throughout history. First, I will start by talking about the aspects of music that allow it to bring about change.
Music tends to explain thoughts and arguments in ways talking cannot. What I mean by this is that music is used by many people in order to relay their ideas in a way where their audience is more likely to listen. For example, someone preaching about women’s rights might write a song in order to make their opponents understand their argument without interruption, while also being touched by the emotional aspects of the song. Music has been working hand in hand with social change for a very long time, and in today’s blog we will be observing one of the many examples shown in the world’s history.
The example I will be focusing on today surrounds music combating racial and government oppression. This musical example is called Bomba, a song and dance combination that originated in Puerto Rico. I learned about Bomba through a pre-college Brown course called “Women’s Music for Social Change”. Bomba music really stood out to me because it has been around for 400 years, and it continues to be one of the most popular folk music in Puerto Rico. When it comes to musicality, bomba is quite simple. It consists primarily of percussion instruments creating a strong beat so that people can get up and dance, and also simple- but powerful- lyrics.
In the youtube video, “Puerto Rico’s Bomba, A Dance of the African Diaspora”, the narrator
describes Bomba as anti-systemic, anti-racist, anti-all oppression that the slave system created and perpetuated. As said before, Bomba dates back to the early European colonial period. The diverse percussion patterns come from the contact between slave populations from different Caribbean colonies and regions. The most popular instruments used are the subidor, maracas, and the cuá. The music was “a source of political and spiritual expression”. The powerful lyrics channeled the anger and sadness the oppressed people had, which allowed Bomba to serve as a catalyst for rebellions and uprisings. Bomba also allowed the citizens to feel connected with their community and feel optimistic because the music would encourage dancing and celebrations.
I find that fascinating because all the Puerto Rican people were able to come together and look past the racist struggles they have been through, just to let loose and feel the rhythm how they wanted. It is also important to mention that Bomba had no rules, instead, the dancers were able to make up any steps and express themselves in their own way. I also find it interesting how Bomba serves as a beacon of hope for Puerto Rican people. In the video, “Why Puerto Rican Music is Resistance”, they talk about how Bomba music helped people after hurricane Maria deal with loss and pain as a community and pushed them to have a sense of unity. Bomba also plays a very important role in the Black Lives Matter Movement. Ivelisse Diaz breaks down how they fight oppression with Bomba because it existed during slavery and was a critical part of how black people formed communities during terrible times. Overall, Bomba continues to serve an extremely influential role in Puerto Rican culture and it pushes its citizens to be optimistic
and unify themselves with their community.
I hope you all enjoyed learning about the incredible Bomba music from Puerto Rico. In the next blog post, I will be talking about la Nueva Canción in South America. See you all next time!
Best,
Maya
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