Creolization in the Spanish Speaking Caribbean

 Hey everyone! Welcome back to the last installment of my personal blog of music in the Caribbean :D Throughout my entries I've honestly learned a lot about music in our little Caribbean, and I hope you've been enjoying learning about it as much as I do. Today, we'll be looking at creolization in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. The example which we'll focus on is Baquiné, which is found in Puerto Rico.

As stated by Daniel Thompson in his research paper titled "Puerto Rico", Baquiné refers to a communal vigil that is placed over the body of a deceased child the night preceding a Christian burial. Due to the adolescence of the child, those who participate believe that the child has died without sin. As such, this results in a celebratory type of occasion rather than that of mourning. Personally I find this to be quite fascinating, as although we all dread the concept of death, this occasion is seen as that of a joyous one due to the assurance those involved receive by knowing the child was free from the grasp of sin, leading to their soul being one with their Lord and Savior. Songs of consolement are often sang by the bereaved parents, and from time to time, African deities will be invoked to assist with repelling evil spirits during the ceremony.

                                         

The picture above shows artwork of what Baquine ceremonies would often look like. With the table accompanied with flowers and the deceased child, those in attendance dancing about, and I can imagine jubilant music being played as well. Taken from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/398990848209380209/

 The video above depicts the type of music which accompanies the tradition of Baquiné. Although not in English, I translated the description of the video which gave a description of the Baquiné, and states that this ritual occurs for boys and girls who die before they are nine years old. The music is quite joyous rather than mournful as one may expect, and the main instrument being used is the guitar, which gives an easy to digest rhythm and hopeful vibe for those in attendance. I chose this video because it gave great insight into what the music accompanying a ceremony such as this is like, and then it was also short and concise.

Moving along, we will be looking at my favorite topic once again, food! This time we will be visiting the country of the Dominican Republic. Honestly before this I knew little to nothing about the Dominican Republic but after looking at some of their dishes, I would love to go and try some. 

                                     

The above dish is known as mangu. It consist of boiled plantain, fried eggs, fried dominican salami, red onions and fried cheese. It's believed to have been derived from African influences, as it was bought to the Dominican Republic during the slave trade and originates from "mangusi", a Congolese term used to describe any root vegetable which is boiled and mashed. Photo taken from https://www.willflyforfood.net/food-in-the-dominican-republic/

The video above goes in details regarding the various influences on the cuisine featured in the Dominican Republic, including African, Middle-Eastern, Chinese and of course Spanish. It feature famous dishes from each of these influences, and gives good details with regards to their origins and how they are made. I chose this video because of how it is simplistic, quick and gives focus to the uniqueness of the cuisine special to the Dominican Republic.

Bibliography

Ann, C. (N/A, N/A N/A). Puerto Rico Art. Retrieved from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/398990848209380209/

Thompson, D. (2001, January 20). Puerto Rico. Retrieved from Grove Music Online: https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.41092

Will Fly For Food. (2022, October 18). Dominican Food: 15 Traditional Dishes to Look For in the Dominican Republic. Retrieved from Will Fly For Food: https://www.willflyforfood.net/food-in-the-dominican-republic/