What does Tambu, Punta, and Bomba y Plena have in common? Both Tambu and Bomba y Plena were formed by slaves in plantations. Creating this music and traditions leading to forming new identities in the Caribbean. Punta on the other hand has a different story. The Garinagu were never slaves but still suffered misplacement from colonial powers. Displaced Garifuna by the British from St. Vincent and the Grenadines the Garinagu were placed in boats and sent out to sea. The first settlement was Roatan Island and eventually they moved to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize along the Caribbean coast. Punta consists of a
Primera drum which does the leads and improvisation, the
Segunda does base rhythm. Along with the
Primera the maracas and turtle shells do improv and leads. Dancers lead the
Primera and the dance as the name suggests is danced with tip toes.
Bomba y Plena was created by slaves in Puerto Rico at plantations. Dance and music, in Bomba the dancer does not lead like in Punta. The
subidor does leads and tells the dancer how to move, the
segundo or
buleador does base rhythm.
Repiques is the word for improvisation used in Puerto Rico. There has been less room for improvisation over the years compared to Punta, and it's far more choreographed and rehearsed. The best schools of Bomba y Plena are located in Loiza, Santurce, Guayama and Ponce.
Tambu was created by slaves in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. The dance consists of dancing close face to face with your mate with little to none physical contact. Originally it was a religious ceremony that has been secularized through the passing of time. The instruments used are a drum( known as a tambu),chapi(hoe), and a iron idiophone . Highly choreographed and rehearsed.
This three styles of music follow a couple of key concepts that make them similar. They follow a call and response pattern, were created by displaced groups who wanted a form of expression and identity outside of the plantation. This three styles also represent African culture, ancestry and history.
