updated 13 December 2001

STUDY DRUMS IN CUBA | STUDY DRUMS IN BRASIL

WEB SPECIALS

ABAKUA DRUMS FROM CUBA

Abakuá is a secret men's society, brought to Cuba from the Calabar region of West Africa, specifically Southeastern Nigeria. The Abakuá society was founded in Havana, Cuba in the 1830s. Regla, a "municipio", or municipality, of Havana, claims the distinction of having the first sacred Abakuá group in Cuba.

Drums are a major part of the Abakuá tradition.The drums used in Abakuá are called the biánkomo or biankoméko. There are four drums used.

The drums are called the bonkoechemillá, biankomé, obiapá, and kuchiyeremá, played together with a bell (ekón), two shakers (erikundi), and two wooden strikers (itones). The bonkoechemillá is the solo drum, while the other three drums play parts beautifully laced together in a heavenly harmony of rhythms.

There are two distinct styles of playing Abakuá, the Havana style and the Matanzas style. The drum parts are definitely different as is another important concept; tempo. Whereas the tempos of abakuá in Havana can be very fast, the tempos in Matanzas are much slower, reflecting the differences between a fast-paced city life, and the life of the country.

Here are the drum parts for both styles. As with many folkloric rhythms, these transcriptions are outlines of the rhythms. For a more intense study of abakuá, the author humbly suggests a journey to Havana and Matanzas, Cuba.

 

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Partido Alto	Partido Alto + Hand Exercises	Manny Oquendo Legendary Musician	How to Make Transitions	More Transition Information	Basic Samba
Musical Odd Note Groupings using Triplets.	More Musical Odd Note Groupings using Triplets.	Interesting Sticking Ideas	New York Style Mozambique	MI Class	New Ride Pattern
Candombe Hand Exercise	Lombardo Lesson #1	Lombardo Lesson #2	Groovin' Independence	Basic Brasilian Rhythms	Double Bass Cowbell Lessons
Latin Hand Patterns	Latin Rudiments	5 against 2 Hand Patterns	Changuito Melodic Independence	Cascara Funk Lesson	FunkyTwist!
Make It Funky!	More Brasilian Lessons	Why You Drum!	Articles of Independence	Dave Lombardo Power Grooves lesson	Candombe
Killer Timbale Solo	Memphis Soul Stew	Memphis Soul Stew.2	Palo Drum Set Lesson	Palo Drum Set Lesson.2	Get That Funk Outta Here!!

 

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