(WXYZ) — Whether it's Salsa, Merengue or Cha Cha, it would be nearly impossible to go to a LatinX gathering and not see dancing.
It's a form of expression embedded into their culture, and now a once banned and nearly forgotten dance tradition is experiencing a resurgence, and I strapped on a skirt to experience and learn a dance directing people back to their roots.
The dance is called Bomba. It's a Puerto Rican tradition dating back 400 years, and is considered a fluid dialog between dancer and drummer.
Related:Southwest Detroit Restaurant Week kicks off Sept. 29 and runs for 10 days
"It takes you to a spiritual connection. It's a celebration of the richness of our culture," Historian Ozzie Rivera said.
Each shoulder shake, foot stomp and skirt swing is a demand for the lead musician to follow.
"It is a dance traditionally as a form of resistance. Taking back power and communicating with the community," Angela Lugo-Thomas said. "It's been a way for me to survive to push through situations."
Bomba was brought to the island through slaves coming from different tribes. Many did not speak the same language, so they expressed their pain and protest through music and movements, but that conversation was cut short over the years.
Rivera said Bomba was originally looked down upon, but its acceptance has had its ebbs and flows. It was once banned in Puerto Rico and shunned because of its link to African heritage.
"It has grown in popularity because more people say we're going to do this because you told us we can't," Lugo-Thomas said.
She spent the first six years of her life in Puerto Rico before moving to Detroit. Forced to learn English, she lost her Spanish, and Bomba was one of the ways she connects to her culture.
"It's been empowering to know even though I was disconnected from it, I can go back and get it and keep it, and now share it," she said.
Lugo-Thomas is a member of RicanStruction, a Bomba group carrying on the legacy by teaching it to others.
RicanStruction plans on hosting weekly Bomba lessons, with many in Southwest Detroit starting next year.
The group is also hosting a fundraiser for Puerto Rican Hurricane Fiona relief. Aside from financial support, we are accepting the following material donations:
Solar lights
Flashlights
Buckets
Power banks
Wipes
Rinse free body wash
Mouthwash
Face towels/washcloths
AA & AAA batteries
Bug spray
Rechargeable fans
Adult diapers Size L
Bed Pads
Please email casitacimarron313@gmail.com to arrange for pick-up or drop-off of these goods.
