The Bomba ensemble consists of “barriles” or barrel drums with goat skins, a “maraca” played by the lead singer, and a pair of “cuas”, or sticks traditionally played on the wooden body of the drum. Bomba is the oldest living musical tradition of Puerto Rico. Bomba music and dance originated in the sugar cane plantations and was played, danced and sung as a means to express daily hardships, cope with oppression, and escape captivity. For those interested in staying healthy, connecting with the community or learning a rich musical tradition, Bomba is for you.īomba reflects the powerful forces that shaped Puerto Rico’s history, emerging from the African experience on the island before the 1700’s. They embrace modern sounds, yet adhere to traditional styles that maintain a sense of pride in their cultural heritage.Students will learn dance, songs, drum rhythms, and history. Pioneer performers such as Los Pleneros de la 21 and Marcial Reyes have succeeded in keeping the styles alive through performing groups and participating in community events.

Matos says, 'In Puerto Rico you go to Black and humble communities and you´re going to find bomba and plena without a doubt.' These Afro-Puerto Rican musical traditions have also enjoyed an active life in New York City and other communities in which Puerto Ricans have settled. The tracks below are classic examples of plena, and for more information on the drums used in plena click on the video demonstration on the right.īomba and plena are defining musical sounds of the Afro-Puerto Rican population. The smallest of them is the requinto, which improvises over the rhythm of the other drums. Plena instrumentation has changed greatly over the years, but the one indispensable and defining element is the pandereta, a round hand drum that comes in different sizes. Tito Matos, leader of the Puerto Rican group Viento de Agua, describes plena as 'the newspaper of the people.' Plena has only one basic rhythm, in contrast to bomba´s sixteen rhythms. They convey a story about events, address topical themes, often comment on political protest movements, and offer satirical commentaries. Plena developed from bomba music around the beginning of the 20th century in southern Puerto Rico. Viento de Agua exemplifies gracimá and hoyoemula rhythms in 'Mayela' and 'Siré-Siré,' and Raul and Freddy Ayala perform the yubá or 'Juba' rhythm. Bomba instruments include the subidor or primo ( bomba barrel or drum), maracas, and the cuá or fuá, two sticks played against the wood of the barrels or another piece of wood. The rhythms mark the pace of the singing and dance. As a result, bomba now has sixteen different rhythms. The music evolved through contact between slave populations from different Caribbean colonies and regions, including the Dutch colonies, Cuba, Santo Domingo, and Haití. But bomba also moved them to dance and celebrate, helping them create community and identity. The lyrics conveyed a sense of anger and sadness about their condition, and songs served as a catalyst for rebellions and uprisings. To them, bomba music was a source of political and spiritual expression. It comes out of the musical traditions brought by enslaved Africans in the 17th century. In 'Baila, Julia Loíza' the drums or barriles are lower pitched and form a different rhythmic accompaniment than the pandereta drums in the plena example, 'Báilala hasta las dos.'īomba dates back to the early European colonial period in Puerto Rico. You can hear the difference in these songs. Often mentioned together as though they were a single musical style, both reflect the African heritage of Puerto Rico, but there are basic distinctions between them in rhythm, instrumentation, and lyrics. Bomba and plena are percussion-driven musical traditions from Puerto Rico that move people to dance.

Bomba y plena