By Carlos Flores Kalinda! Newsletter, Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College Chicago. Spring 1995 CHICAGO - The rumba, according to Larry Crook, writing in Latin American Music Review, is a secular dance/music/poetic expression that developed among the various African ethnic groups who were brought to Cuba as slaves during the colonial time. The Muñequitos de Matanzas, Cuba's critically acclaimed twelve-member drumming and dancing ensemble, is a group that specializes in playing the rumba. According to ArmandoVilladares-Pombo, the group's artistic director, the Munequitos de Matanzas began its career in 1952. As dock workers in the province of Matanzas, the members would gather in "El Gallo Bar," located in a neighborhood called Marina. One day as they were drinking in the bar, the jukebox was playing a son (one of the oldest Afro-Cuban musical forms) by Arsenio Rodriguez, and they began to follow the music by beating on tables, glasses, and bottles. Villadares-Pombo states that "people were so astounded with the rhythms being created by their playing that someone suggested starting a group, and the rest is history." Initially, the group was called Guguanco Matancero. Their first album, recorded in 1953, included a song about a character in the newspaper funnies. The album became such a hit that people began calling them the Munequitos de Matanzas (funny figures from Matanzas). The group has recorded at least twelve albums. Since the 1950s, several of the original members have been replaced; the majority of the new members are related to their predecessors. Today, the group continues to perform the classic rumbas: yambu, Colombia, and gaguanco (three dominant styles of rumba music). The group also presents "Patakin," a performance that preserves the religious music and dance of the Yoruba, one of the primary groups from West and Central Africa imported to Cuba. Armando Villadares-Pombo was responsible for researching and writing the first "Patakin" for the group, which resulted in performances in England, their first trip outside Cuba. Before joining Munequitos de Matanzas, Mr. Vidallares-Pombo worked as an actor, radio personality, and writer. For the last twenty-three years he has spent most of his time working for Cuba's Ministry of Culture. During the July 1994 visit of the Munequitos de Matanzas to Chicago, I had an opportunity to interview Mr. Villadares-Pombo. The excerpts that follow are taken from our interview. Carlos Flores: How and when did the Munequitos begin to incorporate certain aspects of Yoruba religion into the show? Armando Villadares-Pombo: The religious phase of the Munequitos' show began when I became involved with the group in 1989. I indicated to the group that the rumba had become very sophisticated around the world and that in order for the group to go out of Cuba we had to develop a spectacular show that would include the various forms of the original rumba as well as a program that demonstrated the Yoruba religion. We wrote a program called "Patakin," which translates to the legends and history of the African ancestors. In1989 the group incorporated the bata and abakua drums. Abakua societies were exclusively male fraternal organizations brought to Cuba by the Carabali slaves from Nigeria. (Bata drums come directly from the Nigerian Yoruba people who were brought to Cuba during the slave trade. The bata are double-headed drums used primarily for religious purposes. They are similar in shape to an hourglass, with each head being a different size and pitch.) CF: To what do you attribute the preservation of the African religion, music, and culture in Cuba, that is, Yoruba religion, Abakua societies, and so on? AVP: There is at least one secret to as why the Cubans have maintained and preserve their African traditions for over four hundred years, and even today the music is being played in the same manner it was brought by African slaves several centuries ago. The secret is that it has been passed down from fathers to sons, generation after generation. For example, the province of Matanzas has two neighborhoods that have maintained these African musical traditions; one is called Simpson, and the other is called La Marina. Havana has Belen; Santiago has Barrio Losollo. If you were to walk in these neighborhoods, you would think you were in Africa. The Munequitos were visited by the Ambassador of Nigeria at the Provisional Museum in Matanzas, Cuba, and the Munequitos performed the Yoruba program of their show. The Ambassador was delighted with the performance and commented that the Munequitos had transplanted him back to Nigeria and that the Yoruba demonstration was identical to what the African ancestors brought from Africa. The Ambassador also commented that the music is no longer being played in the same manner in Nigeria. CF: Since its interception, has there been any hostile or discriminatory action by the majority of the society against the rumba? AVP: The rumba originated in Matanzas in the earlier part of this century. In some respects the rumba was considered a taboo, especially when it was associated with the African religion. Cuba was predominantly Catholic, and the Church prohibited the practice of other African religions. There were laws passed in the 1930s and 1940s prohibiting rumba playing. These laws were strictly enforced by the police to repress any conga-drumming associated with the rumba. In the 1950s rumba playing was permitted in various neighborhood outdoor parks, but never in theatres or high society functions. Since 1959, the rumba is allowed to be played throughout Cuba. Today, the music of the Munequitos is heard in all of Cuba's best concert halls. CF: Why has the role of women been limited or non-existent in rumba playing? Why have the Munequitos incorporated some women to participate in their performance? AVP: When the Munequitos began, there were eight men and no women. Women began to be incorporated when the need arose to actually dance the rumba. One of the characteristics of the rumba are its dances, especially the guguanco, where the male pursues the female and tries to possess her. In the yambu, the fundamental of the dance is that the female is showcased more than the male. Twenty-seven years ago, Diosvaldo Ramos became the first dancer of the Munequitos, but there was a need to have a female dancer to accompany him in the dances. That is how Ana and Vivian were incorporated in the group. In rumba groups or groups that practice Yoruba religion, there are no women percussionists. In the Yoruba religion women are not allowed to play the bata drum; the impediment of not allowing women to participate in the drumming rituals came from the mandates of the religion. Over four hundred years ago, Africans were introduced to the Americans through the cruel institution of slavery. Today, many descendants of African slaves have managed to maintain many of the rich cultural traditions handed down by their African ancestors. The Munequitos de Matanzas is one of the many artistic groups that have preserved the language, religion, music, and dance of our African ancestors.