| African Region / Ethnic Group | Cuban Religions / Traditions | Cuban Dances / Genres |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria (Yoruba) | Santería (Regla de Ocha) | Orisha dances (to Shango, Yemayá, Ochún, Elegguá, etc.); staged folkloric Yoruba dances; influence on Rumba & Son movement |
| Nigeria (Igbo / Efik) | Lesser-preserved lineages | Ritual dances in some Afro-Cuban ceremonies, body isolations integrated into popular dance |
| Cameroon–Congo (Bantu/Kongo) | Palo Monte (Regla de Palo), Congo cabildos | Palo dances, Makuta, Yuka; Congo-style dances; major influence on Rumba ( Columbia & Guaguancó) |
| Dahomey (Fon/Ewe, Benin area) | Arará religion ( Matanzas) | Arará ritual dances, with distinctive footwork and body undulations |
| Carabalí (Calabar, SE Nigeria– Cameroon border) | Abakuá society | Secret society dances (ekón, plante), influence on male rumba styles |
| European (Spanish / French) | Secular ballroom, Creole culture | Contradanza, Habanera, Danzón, Cha-cha-chá, Mambo, etc. |
| Mixed Creole (African + European) | Popular Cuban music & dance | Son, Rumba, Salsa, Casino (Cuban salsa), Timba |
A Cuban popular dance music genre that emerged in the 1980s–90s
In Cuban music, especially in salsa and son, the " mambo" section typically refers to a brassy, rhythmically intense instrumental break, often featuring repetitive horn lines, call-and-response patterns, and building energy toward the climax of a song.
In Cuban music, especially in salsa and son, the "mambo" section typically refers to a brassy, rhythmically intense instrumental break, often featuring repetitive horn lines, call-and-response patterns, and building energy toward the climax of a song.
Yemayá – several specific toques for Yemayá.
Rooted in Havana’s bustling 1950s dance halls, Cuban Casino mixes tradition and flair in a partner dance style that spread worldwide.
A Cuban dance and music style created in the early 1950s by Enrique Jorrín, evolving from the danzón-mambo tradition in charanga orchestras.
Cuban rumba is an Afro-Cuban music and dance genre characterized by complex rhythms, call-and-response vocals, and expressive, often flirtatious movements, rooted in African and Spanish traditions.
Rumba columbia is the fastest of the Cuban rumba styles (alongside yambú and guaguancó). It’s a virtuosic solo dance—traditionally male, now often danced by women too—performed to a triple-pulse feel (12/8, often felt as fast 6/8). Its hallmark is a playful, competitive dialogue between the dancer and the lead drum (quinto).
The dance involves a flirtatious "chase" between a male and female dancer, with the male attempting a symbolic pelvic thrust called the vacunao, and the female using body movements to evade or accept it.
Palo is an Afro-Cuban religion with various denominations that developed among Central African slaves and their descendants, particularly those of Congo and Bantu origin.
The Spanish word palo (“stick”) refers to the wooden sticks used in the construction of ritual altars—called la Nganga, el caldero, or la prenda.
Priests and initiates of Palo are called:
The Palo belief system rests on two foundational pillars:
All natural objects—especially sticks—are understood to contain spiritual power, typically connected to the spirits themselves. This differs from Santería and other Yoruba religions, whose orishas are more closely associated with human or anthropomorphic forms.
Palo music typically begins with wooden percussion, followed by drums and metal tools.
Wooden instruments:
Drums:
Metal instruments:
Also known as: Mukudji, Nkuyu, Mañunga, Lubaniba, Lucero, Lucero Mundo, Remolino, Cuarto Vientos, Kbuyu
Also known as: Mama Kengue, Yola, Tiembla Tierra, Pandilanga
Also known as: Zarabanda, Rompe Monte
Arara
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Danced at religious festivals, often in honor of the Orishas.