Bomplenazo: Gordita’s Aventuras NYC
October 31, 2018
Transformation Tuesday mi gente bella! Let’s transform our minds! Disculpa por la tardanza. Monday Motivation has had me on the struggle bus. I’m discouraging you from the lies that societal expectations hold us to. You do not need to find yourself. As humans, we need to constantly create ourselves so that we are in a constant state of change. Chase after your dreams at your own pace. Do not compare yourself to others. The only person you should be competing with is the person who looks right back at you in the mirror. I want to be a better version of the woman I was yesterday. I desire for all queens to rise and win. Switch it up! Make your food intake more interesting. Try new things. Go on google flights and book that cheap flight with flexible dates! Tell somebody you love them. Write down your goals and share them with a trusted one. Careful, only share with those who have your best interest. This week I’ll be featuring my latest trip to New York City and it’s famous traditional Bomplenazo! I received some valuable feedback on the blog! My audience, friends, & artistic creatives/collaborators encouraged me to consistently document my traveling aventuras. Follow my adventures as I give you a personal look into NYC’s Puerto Rican magic and cultura! Orgulla Boricua! Traveling is what keeps me sane and let’s be real, it’s good for the soul. Combine my love for cheap flights & Bomba and we have created magic.
New York City’s Bomplenazo!!!
My pivotal reason for taking a trip to NYC was the phenomenal Bomplenazo. Although I have been dancing Bomba for 10+ years, I never attended NYC’s bomplenazo which features cultural workers and artists from all over: Puerto Rico, NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, everywhere! If y’all know me personally, you know that Bomba is my first and truest love. It has never failed me and it continues to be the driving force of my very existence. I want to share this tradition with the world and preserve every moment that I dance Bomba and give praise to my ancestors. Hopefully you’re all caught up on my previous blogs, Me Cure, “Con la Bomba me cure” y “La Borracha.” Both these stories feature positive & negative coping mechanisms that I have used in the past. I used to grab the bottle and get drunk when I was mad, sad, or anxious. It’s going to be 6 months that I have not had a drink. Now, I grab my scarf and Bomba skirt and let it out on the dance floor. That’s a whole different spiritual type of high!
What is a Bomplenazo?
Bomplenazo is a beautiful tradition that happens every 2 years in New York City. It consists of the traditional rhythms of Puerto Rican music which include a mixture of both Bomba y Plena.
In the year 2000, the Bomplenazo first launched in the South Bronx at Hostos Community College. Communities are empowered through concerts, master workshops, dance, film, and other artistic mediums. This October, I had the privilege to turn up in NYC with the Chicago Bomba Community and powerful Bomberas y pleneros from everywhere! I was in absolute awe and have never felt more proud to be Boricua! The culture is alive and well. Master percussionists and bomberos taught alongside their younger counterparts. Bomba is so intergenerational. These musical traditions unite both mature and younger generations through the healing of the mind, body and soul. Bomba, Medicina para mi alma could not have said it any better. “Do not underestimate the power of the drums! When you hear the drums or barriles pounding, healing takes place. Bomba is medicine.”
Bomba Y Plena
Some people misinterpret Bomba with Plena or they think one genre is the same as the other. People have frequently perceived Bomba Y Plena to be one musical style. Truthfully, Bomba y Plena are two different genres in their entirety, both originating from percussion-driven musical traditions.
Bomba is a historical and percussion-driven dance that dates back to the 17th century. These musical traditions were brought to Puerto Rico by African slaves as political and spiritual expressions.
Bomba expresses a dialogue. There is individualized communication between the primo (main drummer) and the dancer. Improvised dance was used as a form of political and spiritual expression as our ancestors fought for freedom against the consequences of colonization.
“The beauty that is exemplified in Bomba is demonstrated by the dialogue that takes place between the drummer and the dancer.”
Barriles are used in Bomba to keep the rhythm and translate the dancers movement. Plena developed around the beginning of the 20th century conveying narratives through the sound of the panderetas (round hand drum). I know a lot more about Bomba than I do Plena, but boy was I impressed by the musical masterminds that just so happened to be Pleneros. I had one goal in mind for this trip and that was to support my people and support my local artists!
Support your locals!
As a lifelong learner, studying the traditional rhythms of Bomba and attending local workshops convey a respect for culture and an honor to our ancestors who have sacrificed their freedom so that we can express ourselves through this tradition. Here’s a sneak peak of one of the most outstanding womyns’ Bomba groups I have ever witnessed!
Ausuba: Powerful All Women’s Bomba Group:
These beautiful womyn came from various parts of the island including Loiza, Mayaguez, Yabucoa, San Juan etc. all unified with one voice, sang and powerfully demonstrated an unrelenting resistance against violence, objectification & colonialism.
Hand Crafted Maracas: Taller Kenuati de Mayagüez: How to make a Maraca
Dance and do what makes you happy!
Tips in NYC!
That’s all for now! I almost missed my flight on my way back to Chicago. One of the worst feelings ever but thankfully, I got back safe & sound. I’m excited to continue documenting my travels with you all! Stay tuned for next blog’s Florida adventures & tips for traveling on a budget! Bomba in NYC was literally one of the most epic weekends ever!