Afro Cuban Batá Drumming Ceremony with Rumbatá Arará

As part of our CUBAN MUSIC series, we bring you to Havana, to experience traditional Cuban drumming at a Tambor (Santeria religious ceremony) with Rumbatá. Join our next tour: https://plazacuba.com

In this clip the drummers are playing an Arará rhythm for Afra. Arará heritage is from the Benin region in Africa (formerly known as Dahomey). Afra is sometimes compared to Elegúa (from the Yoruba/Santeria tradition) because of their similar characteristics.

Rumbatá is a Rumba group from Camaguey that incorporates many Cuban musical styles to create their own unique sound. In the words of the director Wilmer Ferrán: “Our Rumba is of pure elements, as is the batá drum: the instrument which identifies the group because of its roots in our country. There would be no Rumbatá without this instrument.”

A Tambor is a Cuban religious ceremony in the Santeria (sometimes called Lukumi) tradition. The religion honors nature and its spirit manifestations, known as Orishas. Drumming and singing are integral parts of these ceremonies, and specific rhythms are played in a defined structure. The three hourglass shaped batá drums are used ceremonially to “speak” to the Orishas with intricate rhythms that only highly skilled players can master. You can attend a Tambor when you travel to Cuba with PlazaCUBA!

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