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National pride is the love or devotion of and sense of attachment to a person’s place of origin, their homeland. In almost every class we had this semester, Professor Washburne mentioned the words “pride” or “Latin identity.” We felt that this idea of national pride was something so central and so consistent among every genre of Caribbean music we studied, and among every island, country and musician about which we learned.
Every genre has a way of expressing a different form of national pride or love of country and the people within it, whether it be through the instruments, the lyrics, or just the history of the genre itself. These genres, whether it be salsa, reggaeton, reggae, or even merengue, were a vehicle through which these musicians could express their admiration of their homeland. We wanted to dive deeper. We wanted to speak with actual musicians and ask them not only about the pride they have for their country, but also why they feel their music and career reflect this pride, and most importantly, how they express their latin identity through the music.
The Caribbean is a collection of many small islands that have a profound influence on each other, collectively creating what we know as Caribbean culture. The global popularization of different aspects of the cultures of the Caribbean have a “reflective” effect. That is to say, the international popularity of the food, fashion and music makes it more likely that individual countries in the Caribbean will embrace these elements, which may vary from one island to another, into their own culture, contributing to the amalgam of cultures that composes the Caribbean. In fact, the term “creolization” has been coined to describe this “process of becoming a creole. sociology. the process of assimilation in which neighbouring cultures share certain features to form a new distinct culture”.
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Although all the Caribbean islands have influenced each other’s culture, they each maintain their own customs, music, cuisine, dance, etc. For many countries, cultural pride is engraved in tradition. Because of the syncretism in the United States, for many, it makes cultural pride that much more important in order to distinguish themselves. The forced assimilation, and fear of foreigners that is pervasive in white American culture negates and erases the national identity of many people living in the United States. In the US, the term “Latin American” is used to describe people from the wide variety of Latin American or Spanish speaking countries, many of which are part of the Caribbean. When the majority categorizes all Spanish speaking Caribbean countries as one cultural entity, it takes away the identity and uniqueness that each country has.
This forced cultural fusion creates an artistic space in which Caribbeans look to distinguish themselves from each other as well as people from other countries. This manifests itself in music videos, where we see that assertion of cultural pride. Artists who have chosen to portray themselves in a culturally-specific voice typically use their videos and their interactions with their audience to convey this message: flags cover the the stage, are printed onto instruments and artists “shoutout” their countries as well as those of their audience from such countries.
The purpose of this project is to explore this cultural pride in the context of Caribbean music, specifically in salsa and reggaeton, by interviewing the artists and researching various songs, respectively. We wanted to accomplish this by conducting first hand interviews with local artists about how they express their national and cultural pride. Then, using these interviews as preliminary research and the basis of our project, we chose one interview in which the discussion of cultural pride and juxtaposing that with our own research and interpretation of a specific, and very famous, artist and song.
The overwhelming opinion we received in our interviews was that these musicians felt a sense of purpose, and a sense of responsibility to carry on the traditions of their homeland and spread the beauty of the Caribbean with the rest of the world. They feel that their pride stems from the ability that music gives them to not only have a voice but also to spread the voices of the people back home to places they could never reach on their own. As we studied in class, the Caribbean in general has a unifying historical narrative: one of colonization, slavery, and oppression followed by a push for a national identity and unifying sense of pride.
While each country experienced this push at different points throughout history, this desire to feel proud of one’s origin and proud to be a part of this movement for independence was the perfect sentiment to be spread through music. If a musician was able to successfully navigate the space between celebrating Caribbean culture but also making it accessible enough for foreigners, they could find success. For many of these artists in the Caribbean, music became a mode of expression and a way of broadcasting and exporting these nationalistic views of adoration to the rest of the world. Music was the way these people could showcase not only themselves but their home, and so naturally, music was the vehicle through which these artists can demonstrate pride and a feeling of honor for their country in unprecedented ways.
Our goal in this project was to find out in what ways this idea of national pride through music manifested itself in the real world. We sought out real artists and asked them these questions about what their music really means to them so that we could better understand and connect to all that we have learned throughout the semester. It is one thing to learn in a confined classroom setting about how musicians feel, how a certain genre came to be and why it represents certain national sentiments, but it is very different to go out and ask these questions to real people. We wanted our classroom to extend outside of the walls of Columbia and learn why these Caribbean musicians really do what they do.
One of the first places that we visited was Guantanamera Restaurant, where we were able to interview one of the band members, Ariacne, about her experiences and journey as a Caribbean, and specifically Cuban, musician. While we listened to the music, one of the most striking aesthetic elements was the murals which paid homage to the Cuban culture and reflected Cuba’s diverse demographics by depicting a range of skin tones in the paintings. In addition to the showing pride in their history, Cuban pride was reinforced by the flags which framed the bar.
When we asked Ariacne about the genre of music the band played, she told us it was “son-cubano with influences of guaracha, cha cha cha and ciguarya.” When asked why they did not play salsa music, Ariacne replied that she, “did not believe in the term salsa. Salsa is a term that white Americans used to label all Latino music.” Laughing, she added, “But us Cubans, we have our own style and our own flare that distinguishes us from other Latin countries – we are the originals, the creators.” Here we can see a clear expression of her cultural pride by claiming and asserting Cuba as a the mother of modern Latin music.
She went on to say that “Cuban musicians are the beginning of it all – our music has started a wave of Caribbean artists that are now popular.” She added, “it is not about wearing a Cuban flag across my chest, or even Manuel’s conga drums [(which have Cuban flags painted vertically)] – asserting my pride for my country is done by spreading our message and our flavor. Look at you guys, if you are here listening to us and clapping along, I have done my job.” While her expression of cultural pride may be muted to a passive observer, there is no doubt as to her feelings of pride for her country and its culture. She not only voiced her opinion that Cuba birthed popular Latin music but also that her goal, as a female Caribbean musician, is to propagate Cuban music and culture by “spreading the sounds of Cuba.”
Transitioning to the nearby island of Puerto Rico, we decided to change tones and examine national pride not only in a different country and musical genre, but also in a different style. We shifted to a research based approach to looking at how Caribbean musicians demonstrate and display their pride through music. We researched the genre of reggaeton and looked at a specific song, to try and interpret for ourselves and understand of our own volition, in what ways this artist exerted their national pride.
Reggaeton followed the path of many genres, like Rock ‘n Roll, which were first popular among younger populations and rejected by record companies, radio stations. Even some artists were resistant to Reggaeton when it first came to life. A mix of Reggae and Dancehall with Spanish rappers and Afro-Latin beats, Reggaeton was a hit among the young generation, starting in the 1980s. It began as something small and local, artists sold copies of their albums directly to clubs out of their cars; but it quickly boomed into one of the most popular Caribbean genres. In Jon Pareles NY Times article, Spicy Mix of Salsa, Hip-Hop and Reggae written in the early 2000’s, he recounts Reggaeton’s evolution and popularity from its conception: From locally praised and globally disregarded to a genre whose appeal cannot be denied.
Its sound, originally adopted from Dancehall and Reggae, was adapted to Puerto Rican tastes by adding hints of Salsa (timbales, conga drums) and even Afro-Caribbean bata drums. American-born Puerto Rican musician and multiple-time Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Robi Draco Rosa theorizes that the name Reggaeton has roots in “Reggae marathon,” a phrase popularized by disc jockeys. The name then morphed, Draco thinks, to “Reggae-thon” and finally, to Reggaeton. The genre echoes one of the pre-existing limitations of many Caribbean genres: “its […] a mans world,” stated Pareles.
One of the few female artists we came across throughout the concerts we attended this semester, Ariacne, explained “you include yourself, they have to respect you as a musician first.” Reggaeton is used by some artists to capture audiences in order to get their messages out, whether that message is denouncing police brutality and injustices, promoting respect for women, or a general use as a means of political activism. Reggaeton was (and still is) so popular, so attractive, that you had to listen, and that meant these artists messages could be heard.
One of the most renowned Reggaeton artists, Tego Calderon, also known as “El Abayarde” uses Reggaeton in much the same way Tupac, NWA and many other American rappers/ rap groups; his music becomes his activism, an expression of cultural pride. We wanted to explore and analyze one of his popular reggaeton songs because he so publicly stated his cultural pride and his intent to show it in his music. Loiza, a song about his hometown, perfectly encapsulates this political engagement; and not only that, but the cultural, national and local pride from which it stems.
He starts off the song in his intro expressing his love for his hometown: “Esto es pa’ mi pueblo! […] Pa’ mi pueblo, que tanto querio!” (This is for my town […] for my town, that I love so much!). Loiza is a village in Puerto Rico which started as a slave town and is now home to predominantly Black Puerto Rican residents. His song denounces racial violence, saying there will be no justice without equality “Nunca va haber justicia sin igualdad,” explaining the roots of injustice lie still in the law. One of the most powerful expressions of his black pride appears in verse:
Original Translated
“Mi pueblo negro no padece “My black people don’t suffer
Porque tu crees que se lo merece Because you think they deserve it
Poco a poco, negrito Little by little, negrito
Ponte mañoso Be cunning
Vive orgulloso, del to’ poderoso Live proud, of the all powerful
Como nosotros” Like us”
Here he implores his fellow Black Puerto Ricans to take pride in their blackness, in their roots and in the power that comes from those roots. Tego Calderón’s “Loiza” is one of many examples of the way cultural pride is expressed in Reggaeton and in music, of all genres. Calderon uses his music as a platform to raise awareness, release anger and empower his audience. All of this centers on the concept of cultural pride, pride in his town, in his people, and pride in his nationality as an Afro-Puerto Rican. In doing this lyrical examination, we can clearly see how he asserts his national and cultural pride for Puerto Rico.
While national pride is about one nation and representing your country, that is not to say that these musicians are not also proud to be Caribbean and part of the Pan-Latin culture as a whole. Many Latin artists in America, and especially those in New York, adapt elements from other musicians they encounter throughout their careers.
For example, at Guantanamera, when we met Yunior, Ariacne and Manuel, these musicians stated that music is their way of expressing who they are and from where they come. Yunior grew up around Cuban music – both his brother and his father are musicians – as was the family of Ariacne. These artists grew up surrounded by music. Prior to moving to America 16 years ago, Yunior explained that he had never been exposed to the music and culture of other Caribbean countries to the extent he has in America. But after arriving he was able to talk to, and play with so many different musicians and learn about where they come from, that he now celebrates Pan-Latinismo. He said, “I no longer see myself as just Cuban, but as a Latino.”
He has combined everything that he has learned from other artists with his own style in his music, creating a Pan-Latino sound. We also attended a performance by Los Rumberos at Havana Restaurant in Times Square. They are a salsa group comprised of four men, Luis, Carlitos, Charles and Paul have Cuban roots but were born in different Caribbean and Latin countries. This further exemplifies the Pan-Latinismo theme discussed above. As Luis told us, “not only are we representing Cuba and its music, but we are also representing each of our home countries and their music.”
He added that “our diversity is what makes our group special and what motivates us to incorporate styles from all over the Latin world.” This expression of Pan-Latinismo in the various concerts we attended, and also the interpretations we made from the lyrics of Calderon’s Loiza, is evident and illustrates the feeling that an artist’s pride does not just stem from the country in which they were born, but from the broader Caribbean culture. These artists want to celebrate all that is the Caribbean and the Latin world by embracing all styles and all cultures to create pride in Pan-Latinismo , that is greater than just for their country.
Throughout this project, we have learned not only how strongly these artists feel about their country and their music, but also just how important that pride is to their music. We were able to look at the expression of national pride through two different lenses: first hand interviews to gain personal perspectives and opinions, and the interpretation and analysis of nationalistic lyrics. By juxtaposing these styles of research, we achieved our goal of trying to gain a greater understanding for why musicians feel such a need to declare and display their pride, but also the ways in which this desire manifests itself, in both their musical style and lyrics.
Cultural pride is not only embedded in them from a young age but the manifestation of pride in their music is a way for them to celebrate and appreciate everything they’ve been given by their culture, ancestors and country. For a people who are often marginalized and quieted in a global context, music has become a way for Caribbean people to assert and celebrate what their culture can bring. Music is a vehicle through which an oppressed people can show the world they are proud of who they are no matter what others think, echoed by the words of El Abayarde (in Loiza). These musicians feel a sense of responsibility; this is how they give back to their country, their community, their people.
