Music, dance and story telling are among the forms of art that have been kept century after century in Africa. Everyday life activities in traditional Africa included music and many other cultural experiences. Music and dance were traditions that characterized an African musical expression and played an important role in the lives of the people.The traditional music of Africa possessed a distinguishing feature of rhythmic complexity like no other continent. Music was highly functional in ethnic life, accompanying birth, marriage, hunting and even political activities.Before the 20th century, music was very different when compared to the 21st century music. Special occasions owned a distinctive type of African music.
When looking at the situation in Jamaica, this form or cultural development is not easily seen within the small population of people living there. Many Jamaicans believe in the Rastafarian belief. The Rastafarian religion originally started in Africa then moved to Jamaica. This religion started without any attempt to become a globalized religion. It has now spread through other Caribbean islands, cities in the United States, along with other parts of the world.
I can truly say that I am guilty of not knowing the historical background of it even thou it has been a part of me from birth. This paper will cover the history of Salsa music as well as the queen of salsa Ms. Celia Cruz. Many people will disagree where Salsa music originated but most can agree that the birthplace was Cuba. As stated in just salsa.com, “Salsa music is a synthesis of European and African musical influences that was born in Cuba. The European part being mainly the melodies and harmony of the Andalucia region of Spain (the homeland of the Conquistadors), while the African part in Salsa is mainly from the western coast of Africa where the slave trade was most prevalent.” ("Justsalsa.com," n.d, p. 1) It is said that “Between 1930 and 1960 there were musicians from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and South America coming to New York to perform.
Although Yoruba people live on the west coast of Africa, they can also be found in the eastern Republic of Benin and Togo. Because the majority of the slaves brought to the Americas were from West Africa, some descendants can also be found in Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean, and the US. In addition, there are many Yoruba’s who are living in Europe, particularly Britain; since Nigeria was once a British colony. The Yoruba are one of the largest cultural groups in Africa. They have created a strong economy through farming, trading, and art production.
As well as many other religions/likewise, traditional religions belong to those, whom practicing and celebrating life-cycle rituals play an essential role throughout the one’s life. In Africa; for example, the most popular yet well-known rituals such as, birth, coming of age, marriage, and death in general concepts are reasonably extensive between each other. First, the native African civilizations and their pattern of performing life-cycle practices are frequently initiated as some type of contributions to the familial/ancestral spirits. These offered gifts are a combination of food such as pumpkins, honey, and yams, with different beverages; for example, water or something stronger left at the worship places “… taken out and poured over the ancestral, burial ground” (Sinaiko, xli). Therefore, birth as a first ritual plays an important part, and shortly after birth, it is crucial to name a newborn baby.
Cubans are regarded as a successful migrant group. Most Cubans identify themselves either as Roman Catholics or as nonreligious. Others claim to belong to different Protestant denominations. Countries and Their Cultures (2010) states "the Cuban religious tradition that has received the greatest publicity in recent years is Santeria. Santeria has been portrayed in movies and television since the mid-1980s as a form of Afro-Caribbean "black magic" similar to Haitian vodun, popularly known as "voodoo."
Originally, danzon orchestras consisted of e typical orchestra instruments. Later, danzon bands were downsized to smaller charangas, that eventually would add congo drums to their ensemble. In 1938, Orestes Lopez and Cacharo Lopez, considered the “inventors of mambo,” wrote the song Mambo, which was a danzon, but also included rhythms from African folk music. This afro-cubanism mash up would be different from the typical danzon and so, the mambo was born. Mambo included very little vocal sections, if any, but was primarily instrumental dance music.
Although some parts of Africa remained untouched by Islam, many others were often advanced in society. A main achievement of this conversion of cultures was Islam’s ability to connect Africa to the rest of the world through trade. Islam influence in the Indian
This author from Howard University is the outstanding specialist in this field-particularly with respect to the social relationships. Marsh was not the first to compile spirituals (the Allen anthology of 1867 is included in Black Cultural Leaders in Music, cited below), nor was he the only one to deal with the Fisk University chorus. Other early examples of the music are in Barton, including jubilees (the post-slavery expressions of joy). Ballanta was a native of Sierra Leone ~vhocaptured versions of the songs tenaciously retained in this coastal area. After Fisk, the major site for continuing the tradition was Hampton, particularly under the guidance of Dett, and this anthology had already undergone editions in 1874 , 189 1, and 1909 before Dett's rvork.
The chief and his wife in all three societies wore something to differentiate themselves from the rest be it a longer skirt or more jewellery there was always a difference. The architecture of the three societies held some similarities but they were all different. The Tainos and Kalinagos occupied the Greater and Lesser Antilles, where as the Mayans occupied the countries situated in Central and South America. Not only the regions where the settled were different but where on this lands they settled is also different; the Tainos and Kalinagos were hunters and fisher men so they lived on the coast, this also allowed easy escape, where as the Mayans lived inland because of their dense population. Also the Tainos and Kalinagos were somewhat nomadic so their small houses were made out of material such as wood and they had thatched roofs, theses means do not last long as a result there are barely any remains of Taino and Kalinago societies that have not been recreated.