Tag: ALBA TCP

Drums of ALBA made La Guaira resound in honor of San Juan

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La Guaira, June 24, 2024.- To the sound of drums and with the joy typical of the San Juan festivities, La Guaira state, Venezuela, became a cultural epicenter led by important international groups. As part of the meeting “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity”, musical delegations from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and […]

La Guaira, June 24, 2024.- To the sound of drums and with the joy typical of the San Juan festivities, La Guaira state, Venezuela, became a cultural epicenter led by important international groups.

As part of the meeting “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity”, musical delegations from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Saint Lucia filled the streets with color, rhythm, and tradition in a cultural exchange that strengthens the bonds of brotherhood among the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Since their arrival in Venezuela, they first made themselves felt in Caracas, and for the last two days, they toured different sectors of La Guaira, transmitting their energy and musical talent to the communities.

Each group had the opportunity to share their culture and devotion to Saint John through various activities. In the case of Drum Foundation from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, they began their journey in the morning with a mass in honor of the saint at ‘Nuestra Señora de Coromoto’ church, followed by a joyful tour of the town and a drumming session that resonated everywhere.

On the other hand, the delegation from Saint Lucia, composed of Skin Rhythm, began their day with a mass at ‘Chuspa Church’. They then took part in a community tour, the traditional “Crossing of Saints” with drumming, and opened a festival where they shared the stage with local artists.

The Haynesville Youth Club group from Barbados also made their mark by traveling to the town of Todasana. At noon, they joined the mass in honor of San Juan and brought all their drum beats that filled the streets of this popular town with joy.

Les Espoirs from Benin filled San Juan festivities in Puerto Cabello with rhythms

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Carabobo, June 24, 2024.- “Les Espoirs” from Benin filled San Juan festivities in the Venezuelan city of Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state, with their rhythm and tradition. The group, which arrived in Venezuela last week to participate in “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity” event, toured the streets of this city with great historical symbolism […]

Carabobo, June 24, 2024.- “Les Espoirs” from Benin filled San Juan festivities in the Venezuelan city of Puerto Cabello, Carabobo state, with their rhythm and tradition.

The group, which arrived in Venezuela last week to participate in “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity” event, toured the streets of this city with great historical symbolism for the country, to accompany these celebrations with their music and drum beats.

The Beninese delegation began their day with the traditional San Juan baptism in the Goaigoaza River, an ancestral ceremony symbolizing purification and spiritual rebirth. In this space, all participants dressed in white immersed themselves in the river waters to receive the saint’s blessing.

Subsequently, the “Les Espoirs” visited San Juan de Goaigoaza to delve into the history and significance of this emblematic place in the celebrations of Saint John the Baptist. During this tour, delegation members had the opportunity to interact with locals and get a close look at their customs.

In the afternoon, the delegation moved to San Juan Vencedor, where they joined the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of this cultural space. In this context, the Beninese group provided a colorful performance where they delighted the audience with their music and traditional dance, filling the atmosphere with rhythm and joy.

The encounter “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity” brought together more than 400 participants, musical groups, and speakers from Venezuela, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Benin, Grenada, Bolivia, Colombia, Haiti, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, among other countries and special guests.

Drums of ALBA in Miranda were a symbol of cultural integration

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Miranda, June 24, 2024.- This Monday the attendees of the ‘Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity’ festival began a journey through different states of Venezuela to learn about the tradition surrounding the celebration of San Juan, which is commemorated every June 24 in the Bolivarian nation. The delegation from Grenada and Cuba, member countries […]

Miranda, June 24, 2024.- This Monday the attendees of the ‘Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity’ festival began a journey through different states of Venezuela to learn about the tradition surrounding the celebration of San Juan, which is commemorated every June 24 in the Bolivarian nation.

The delegation from Grenada and Cuba, member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), experienced up the beating of the culo e’ puya, mina, and quitiplás drums in Curiepe and Tapipa in Miranda state, Venezuela.

This tradition in Miranda began with a mass, followed by the ringing of 12 bells at noon, and then, they danced with the saint throughout the town. The drums do not stop playing until June 25, when San Juan is once again guarded by his custodians.

From the monument in Curiepe, Reinaldo Echemendía, researcher and director of the Folkloric Ballet of Camagüey, Cuba, expressed: “We have come here to Venezuela by the invitation of Drums of ALBA (…) Our drums from Camagüey integrate the indigenous cultures of Cuba and the entire region.”

He assured that visiting Curiepe and participating in the ALBA Drums Encounter “is going to the core, going to the root, to the humility of the people, knowing the drum as an indispensable element of uniting all present cultures.”

“The drum represents a concept of integration and a concept of inclusion,” he concluded.

San Juan de Tapipa

Subsequently, the representatives of Grenada and Cuba visited Tapipa, also in Miranda, where the dance of San Juan captivated them with its ancestral rhythms.

The Drums of ALBA celebration brought together musical groups from more than 13 countries in the regional bloc, Africa, and the Caribbean in Venezuela from June 20 to 23.

As part of the agenda of the meeting, visits to Miranda, La Guaira, Carabobo, states, among others, were included in conjunction with the celebration of San Juan Bautista.

Day of Spiritual Revolution in Caracas promotes cultural integration of ALBA countries

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Caracas, June 22, 2024 – A walk accompanied by songs and a procession for the Day of the Spiritual Revolution in Caracas was held this Saturday, becoming part of the program for the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity”, which coincided with the festivities of the Afro-Venezuelan people. The procession started on Urdaneta Avenue […]

Caracas, June 22, 2024 – A walk accompanied by songs and a procession for the Day of the Spiritual Revolution in Caracas was held this Saturday, becoming part of the program for the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity”, which coincided with the festivities of the Afro-Venezuelan people.

The procession started on Urdaneta Avenue in the Venezuelan capital and continued to Plaza Bolívar, where the Sanjuanera musical and artistic groups were joined by groups from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP). They were received by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Foreign Minister Yván Gil, the Executive Secretary of the Alliance, Jorge Arreaza, and authorities from the capital as well as the Legislative Council of Libertador municipality.

During the protocol ceremony, Delcy Rodríguez stated that the language of the drum is the language of the countries of the Alliance, of Latin America, and of Africa. “May these drums constantly fight against the impositions of the north, may the drums sound for the construction of a new, respectful, multilateral world.”

Rodríguez added “A world where the drum rejects imperial aggressions, where colonialist countries find the message of freedom in the drums”.

Similarly, ALBA Executive Secretary, Jorge Arreaza, stated that colonization attempted “to impose a God and his saints to dominate us, but our people took those saints to liberate us, and that is where San Juan stands.”

Arreaza highlighted that the Drums of ALBA Festival brought together more than 13 countries from the Caribbean, Africa, and Latin America. “We hope to hold this gathering every year,” he explained, while thanking the government of President Nicolás Maduro for the support provided for this event.

Living culture

Danniellys Angulo, President of the Legislative Council of Libertador municipality, thanked ALBA-TCP for this event because “it keeps our culture alive.”

She noted that the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, continues to keep the nation’s cultural legacy alive, just as Commander Hugo Chávez did.

Similarly, María Laura Castillo, a traditional performer from Caracas, recalled that the country’s culture is part of the construction of knowledge, and each festivity is an ancestral rebellion against the colony.

“Spirituality in rebellion is nothing more than festive poetry, and now it is brought to the State through policies and laws”, Castillo stated.

Manuel Moreno, creator and director of the Herencia Group, emphasized that the peoples must be united in spirit and body. “Here a free country exists, and today we redouble the drums so that they are heard around the world,” he highlighted.

Moreno proposed to the Venezuelan Head of State to declare May 25th as Drum’s Day in Venezuela.

To conclude the event, the Venezuelan authorities and ALBA Executive Secretary, Jorge Arreaza, awarded the Good Citizen Prize, as well as decorations and recognitions to the Sanjuaneros and representatives of the cultural movements.

On June 24th, Venezuela celebrates San Juan Bautista, and these religious and cultural celebrations will be known by the musical groups that came to the ‘Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity’.

Economy and cultural tourism resounded at Drums of ALBA Festival

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Caracas, June 21, 2024.- The session of presentations at the ‘Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity’ event, which is taking place in Venezuela from June 20 to 23, concluded this Friday with the conference on Economy and Cultural Tourism. The speaker, Reinaldo Echemendía, a researcher and director of the Camagüey Folkloric Ballet (Cuba), thanked […]

Caracas, June 21, 2024.- The session of presentations at the ‘Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity’ event, which is taking place in Venezuela from June 20 to 23, concluded this Friday with the conference on Economy and Cultural Tourism.

The speaker, Reinaldo Echemendía, a researcher and director of the Camagüey Folkloric Ballet (Cuba), thanked the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) for organizing this gathering, as it is an ideal space for synchronizing the cultural expressions of the region.

Echemendía recalled the words of Commander Fidel Castro, who asserted that culture is the first element that must be saved.

He also emphasized that culture is indispensable for the development of nations, as well as tourism. He mentioned that this economic activity was essential for combating the blockade imposed by the United States. “It is a culture of tourism; tourism is the culture of our people”, he stated.

Culture as a pillar

Mónica Mancera, a Venezuelan music producer and member of the group Herencia, highlighted that Cuban culture has greatly influenced the artistic identity of all of America and the Caribbean.

In the context of Venezuela, Mancera indicated that culture “in our homeland was a complement, whereas today it is an important pillar, so much so that there is a law of culture”.

She considered that the creation of the Gran Misión Viva Venezuela, which supports and strengthens culture “allows all of us to embrace each other.”

The presentation also featured words from Roselyn Paul, a cultural researcher and former Minister of Trade and Culture of Dominica, who thanked the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) for organizing this celebration.

In her opinion, such events strengthen the identity of each country and foster integration.

This Friday, the ‘Drums of ALBA’ will continue with musical performances at Plaza Bolívar in Caracas.

Attendees will be able to enjoy the drum beats of groups such as Madera (Venezuela), Disidentes (Bolivia), Camagüey Folkloric Ballet (Cuba), Haynesville Youth Club (Barbados), Wasafoli Drumming Group (Trinidad and Tobago), among others.

Caribbean identity and spirituality lead the discussion at the Drums of ALBA Festival

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Caracas, June 21, 2024 – As part of the Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity event taking place in Venezuela, the conference “Caribbean Identity and Spirituality” was held this Friday. Anthropologist and Venezuelan researcher Diógenes Díaz began his presentation by emphasizing that “spirituality in the Caribbean was a political stance, just as all traditions […]

Caracas, June 21, 2024 – As part of the Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity event taking place in Venezuela, the conference “Caribbean Identity and Spirituality” was held this Friday.

Anthropologist and Venezuelan researcher Diógenes Díaz began his presentation by emphasizing that “spirituality in the Caribbean was a political stance, just as all traditions and ancestral cults of the Caribbean were a political response to colonial practices in order to subdue us”.

He also noted that each tradition highlights deities and spiritual leaders to confront those who seek to dominate peoples. “Drums and ceremonies disrupt the order because these are celebrations of black people”, he concluded.

He added “All the traditions we have are part of our great political instruments to counteract dominant narratives that labeled us as witches, fetishists.”

He emphasized the urgency, in the current times, to strengthen the spiritual wisdom of our peoples with our own strength.

Art and spirituality in the Caribbean

Sophia Lee, an artist and cultural researcher from Barbados, stated that this Caribbean country was impacted by colonialism through the imposition of slavery. “However, this did not stop the colonized from expressing their art.”

Lee emphasized that in the 21st century, the “corruption of colonization” continues. In this regard, she indicated that art and traditions must continue to be tools for promoting freedom.

Furthermore, Lee mentioned that rituals and dances also have a connection with the entire African and Caribbean spirituality. In this sense, she noted that she has been working on proposing the inclusion of spirituality as a subject of study in schools and universities.

The Spiritual and the Physical

María Fernanda Romero, a researcher at the Centro de Saberes Africanos (Institute of African Knowledge) in Venezuela, said that without spirituality, there is no body, and that spirit manifests in the physical reality. “Separating the physical from the spiritual goes against humanity,” she added.

Romero explained that capitalism has tried to attack, persecute, and eradicate the spirituality of peoples. “The stripping away of spirituality, our culture, our territory, aimed to kill the beliefs of the African people to be used for production, all related to the economic aspect”, she stated.

She added that “it is the same dispossession being done to Palestine today, but the people continue and will continue to resist.”

Drums of ALBA: music is the weapon for the freedom of peoples against imperialism

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Caracas, June 21, 2024 – The Culture and Politics Conference began this Friday, the second day of the Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity, an event that brings together artistic groups from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), Africa and the Caribbean. Along with his singing […]

Caracas, June 21, 2024 – The Culture and Politics Conference began this Friday, the second day of the Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity, an event that brings together artistic groups from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), Africa and the Caribbean.

Along with his singing and Barbados drums, cultural ambassador Anthony Carter highlighted that each beat carries expressions of culture and politics, as well as the voices of peoples defending their identity and sovereignty.

Additionally, he mentioned that Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean are one people, cultural brothers.

Similarly, Bouna Mbaye, coordinator of the Pan-African League-Umoja from Benin, expressed that music promotes unity “and together we can achieve everything”.

“This is a historic encounter in the history of solidarity (…) It is the first time I have had the opportunity to connect with people from Barbados, Saint Lucia, and different parts of the world,” Mbaye added.

For the coordinator of the Pan-African League-Umoja, it is necessary to abandon silence and apathy, and use music to raise the message of revolution and freedom.

Finally, he condemned the genocide in Gaza and called on the entire world, especially artists, to denounce this crime.

The closing of the Culture and Politics Conference was led by Venezuelan researcher Argenis Delgado, who affirmed that the ALBA Drums Festival is essential for strengthening cultural integration.

“To talk about culture and politics from the Afro perspective necessarily involves the drum, the ancestral messenger instrument. It is the healing instrument, without the drum, who knows what would happen to us,” he stated.

He emphasized that the drum is what ignites the spark of revolutions. “Haiti is our main reference… The first example of rebellion begins with the drum,” he highlighted.

For Delgado, music is part of politics and is essential for elevating the message of sovereignty and Afro-descendants. The researcher proposed organizing an ALBA meeting with indigenous leaders, as well as reissuing the Afro-descendant Festival of the Alliance.

From June 20 to June 23, Venezuela, a member country of the Alliance, was hosting the ‘Drums of ALBA: Beats of our identity event, a celebration that included conferences and musical performances from participating countries.

Additionally, cultural groups will visit various states of Venezuela in the context of the Day of Spirituality on June 22 and the festive cycle of San Juan Bautista.

Drum Woman: A feminine expression of ALBA

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Caracas, June 20, 2024. – The afternoon session of the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity” event — which began this Thursday in Venezuela — featured the conference “Drum Woman” which addressed the influence of women in the culture of the countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ […]

Caracas, June 20, 2024. – The afternoon session of the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity” event — which began this Thursday in Venezuela — featured the conference “Drum Woman” which addressed the influence of women in the culture of the countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), Latin America, Africa, and the entire Caribbean.

Ivonne Thompson, musical director of Herencia Mujer Tambor (Venezuela), indicated that the drum is an ancestral language that unites women with the same needs for sisterhood.

“I discovered the use of the drum to express a feeling. Being a musical director is a continuous learning process, and I feel committed to make people feel through an instrument, because we are souls, women players united by music,” expressed Thompson.

She said that throughout history, the drum has been dominated by men “and we, women can also play from this feminine being. The tan-tan are the heartbeats, the drum is the womb of that woman from which life emerges (…) We don’t want to play louder than men; we want to create poetry.”

“Playing the drum makes us free”

On the other hand, Sixela Machado, singer of the Elegguá group, also from Venezuela, stated that women in drumming have been growing and overcoming the prejudices of a macho society.

“The revolutionary process has come to reclaim the value and prominence of women in Venezuela (…) Women are not to be used as sexual objects; we are the creation to give life, and in drumming, we come to create family. We don’t have to be behind men on a stage (…) Playing the drum makes us free,” affirmed Machado from the Bolívar Theater in Caracas.

Cuban Drums

“The drum is life, joy, just like women are; it is elegance, it is fraternal, and Afro-descendant women in Cuba have always been involved in the struggles, we have always been warriors,” stated Geraldine Gallardo, singer and percussionist of the Camagüey Folkloric Ballet.

She mentioned that it is the woman who is always present and organizing the ceremonies: “women have grown and believe that we are very important; there are many women around the world doing wonderful things with the drums, because the drum is freedom, the drum opens everything for you.”

She also said that percussion is the heart of music on all continents, starting with Africa.

Musicality and ALBA

Finally, Meybe Ugueto, a member of the Trama Danza Collective (Venezuela), explained that the drum is also a “political instrument”.

According to Ugueto, the drums, the alliance, and trade were sacralized through the drum with this gathering. “Thinking about the drum within the Alliance for the Peoples of Our America and the role of women is a blessing”, she added.

African presence in our Latin America and the Caribbean opened the conferences of “Drums of ALBA”

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Caracas, June 20, 2024. – The conference “African presence in our Latin America and the Caribbean” was the opening session of the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity” event, which began this Thursday in Venezuela. Venezuelan writer and historian José Marcial Ramos Guedez highlighted that cultural identity is a central topic in the country’s […]

Caracas, June 20, 2024. – The conference “African presence in our Latin America and the Caribbean” was the opening session of the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity” event, which began this Thursday in Venezuela.

Venezuelan writer and historian José Marcial Ramos Guedez highlighted that cultural identity is a central topic in the country’s cultural debates, as well as the African influences.

He pointed out that Venezuelan culture includes traditions from Cuba, as well as Catholic festivities such as San Juan Bautista, Diablos Danzantes del Corpus Christi, among other celebrations.

‘Here in Venezuela, we also use terms like Afro-descendants, Afro-Venezuelans, in order to combat discrimination,’ emphasized Guedez.

Afro-descendant economic contribution

Roy Arzú, from the Pan-African Federalist Movement of Honduras, asserted that “the economic structure is the result of the sacrifice and contribution of Afro-descendants over the last 500 years”.

He highlighted that part of the wealth of capitalist nations “is built on the blood of our Afro-descendants (…) We also include our Haitian brothers and sisters”.

The conference concluded with a participation by Raymond Weekes, a cultural researcher from Saint Lucia, who emphasized the importance of ancestral music in the development of each nation’s identity.

This Thursday afternoon, the event will be filled with drums, rhythms, and songs to celebrate the integration of Latin American, African, and Caribbean cultures.

Jorge Arreaza: ALBA is like the drum; it makes us rebel against oppression

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Caracas, June 20, 2024. – “We will follow the paths marked by our own drums with our rhythms. ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty) is like the drum, it makes us rebel us against oppression, against injustice, and it confirms that we were born together and that only together we […]

Caracas, June 20, 2024. – “We will follow the paths marked by our own drums with our rhythms. ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty) is like the drum, it makes us rebel us against oppression, against injustice, and it confirms that we were born together and that only together we can be happy.”

This was expressed by the Executive Secretary of the Alliance on Thursday during the inauguration of the “Drums of ALBA: Beats of our Identity” event, which is being held in Venezuela from June 20 to 23.

In his speech, Arreaza emphasized that this is a celebration not only for music but also for the exchange of knowledge and culture among the countries of ALBA, as well as the Latin American, Caribbean, and African regions.

“We are all Afro-descendants. The drums and their beats are a call to consciousness; the drums heal, warn, direct (…) In the cultural code of Mother Africa, their origins beat and unite us towards the future,” he highlighted.

He also recalled that ALBA is the creation of Hugo Chávez Frías and Fidel Castro. “Our commanders created ALBA like the drum, because they united us to walk together, for integration.”

Arreaza stated: “If we do not integrate our heritages, if we do not embrace them, if we do not dance together, that integration will be little more than nothing. ALBA is the daughter of Simón Bolívar, and Bolívar belongs to all of us.”

Jorge Arreaza welcomed the member countries of the Alliance and all the nations that have come to share their tradition and cultural expression to this celebration.

Countries from the bloc attending the event include: Cuba, Bolivia, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, among other guests such as Benin, Colombia, and Honduras.