Puerto Rico
Written by Lorimar Gerena Hernandez
Emancipation Day (Día de la Abolición de Esclavitud) happened on March 22, 1873, bringing an end to and abolishing slavery on the island. To this date, this is celebrated by recognizing and honoring our African heritage by performing ‘LA BOMBA Y PLENA’
this is a traditional dance where the rhythm, lyrics, and movement become one. Often considered a dance of rebellion due to the slaves using it as a form of expression, resistance, and telling stories.
Watch a video about ‘Bomba y Plena’. It explains a bit more and shows all the good things ‘Bomba’ offers!
Here is a painting ‘Los Ayala’ by Samuel Lind. This is an example of what the dance looks like.
