MUS 152 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Marc Savoy, Montgomery Ward, Cowhide
Document Summary
Syncretism: elements from two different cultures combing into something new. Cultural diffusion: cultural characteristics crossing boundaries. Yoruba: largest ethnic group in west africa (nigeria area) Cuba: under spanish control 1492(columbus arrived)-1898(spanish/american war) Spanish (400 years" wealthy: ruling class maintained ties, travel back and forth, kept with cultural trends. Carman -george bizet (france: used afro-cuban rhythms in opera setting, habanera rhythm ( from havana ) West africa mainly yoruba: slave trade ended late 1880s, yoruba culture constantly replenished, situation differed from n. america, possible to buy your way out of slave situation, colonies of freed and escaped african people in s. e. Cuba: plantations were very large, spanish were more hands-off regarding culture than the english. Spanish were not hands off regarding religion. Inquisition era: church and state extremely close. Syncretic religion: yoruba (w. african) religion figured given catholic names, yoruba religion, orishas (gods, each orisha governs particular human traits, shango- thunder god, ritual involves singing, dance, drumming, bata drums.
