Cuba - La Tumba Francesa

Cuba - Rumba in Cuba, a festive combination of music and dances and all the practices associated

The music and movements of rumba in Cuba are mainly associated with African culture but also feature elements from Antillean culture and Spanish flamenco. Historically, rumba in Cuba developed in marginal neighbourhoods of cities in Cuba like Havana and Matanzas, near other ports and shanty towns and grew especially popular in rural areas where communities of African slaves lived. Spreading from the west to the east of the country, it has been a major symbol of a marginal layer of Cuban society and identity, acting as an expression of self-esteem and resistance and tool for social outreach, helping to enrich the lives of practising communities. Performances consist of verbal and non-verbal forms of communication such as chants, gestures, handclapping, dance and specific body language. Instruments, either percussion or simply utensils from the home or work, are part of the practice. A festive atmosphere develops where the performers, working within specific cultural codes, and the audience begin to interact. The dances and chants evoke a sense of grace, sensuality and joy that aims to connect people, regardless of their social and economic background, gender or ethnicity. The practice of rumba in Cuba has been transmitted over generations by imitation within families and neighbourhoods.

Cuba - Punto

Punto is the poetry and music of Cuban farmers, consisting of a tune or melody over which a person sings an improvised or learned stanza of ten octameter verse lines, with a rhyming scheme. There are two main variants of Punto: punto libre, a tune of free metre; and punto fijo, which can be in key or crossed. Throughout history, the element has typically been practised in the countryside, though variants now exist throughout the rest of the population. Punto is an essential element of Cuban intangible cultural heritage open to all, which promotes dialogue and expresses the feelings, knowledge and values of the communities concerned. Knowledge and techniques related to the practice are transmitted from one generation to the next, with one key method of transmission being based on imitation. A teaching programme is also organized in Houses of Culture across the country, involving workshops taught by bearers and practitioners of the element. Seminars, workshops, contests, festivals and events aimed at safeguarding and revitalizing Punto are organized throughout the country and an occupational category has now been assigned to the work of the practitioners and bearers, turning this into a way of living for many.