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A Secret Society Goes Public: The Relationship Between Abakuá and Cuban Popular Culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2014

Ivor Miller
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Abstract:

The Abakuá Society for men is derived from the West African Ékpè Societies of the Cross River region. It was founded in Havana, Cuba, in 1836 to resist slavery, and has since been active in many aspects of Cuban culture. Although hermetic and little known even within Cuba, an analysis of Cuban popular music recorded from the 1920s until the present reveals Abakuá influence in nearly every genre of Cuban popular music. Abakuá lore is orally transmitted, and Cuban musicians who are Abakuá members have continually documented key aspects of their society's history in commercial recordings, often in Abakuá language. Because theirs is a secret language for initiates only, Abakuá have commercially recorded actual chants of the society, knowing that outsiders cannot interpret them. Even so, these recordings have been very popular because the Abakuá represent a rebellious, even anticolonial, aspect of Cuban culture. Now played throughout the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia, Cuban popular music and its derivatives maintain Abakuá language and aesthetics as integral elements. Because so little has been written about the society by members themselves, commercial recordings with Abakuá content are an important source of knowledge about this group. While listening to the lyrics, I realized that Abakuá musicians have sung about their contributions to Cuban history, their liberation struggles, and race relations. My research suggests the rising importance of Abakuá as a symbol of Cuban culture.

Résumé:

Résumé:

La Société des hommes Abakuá tire son origine des Sociétés Ékpè ouest africaines de la région de Cross River. Elle fut fondée à Havane à Cuba en 1836 pour résister à l'esclavage et est depuis active dans bien des aspects de la culture cubaine. Bien qu'elle reste hermétique et peu connue même à l'intérieur de Cuba, une analyse de la musique populaire cubaine enregistrée depuis les années 1920 jusqu'à nos jours révèle l'influence Abakuá dans presque tous les genres de musique populaire cubaine. La tradition Abakuá est transmise oralement, et les musiciens cubains membres d'Abakuá ont continuellement documenté des aspects essentiels de l'histoire de leur société dans des enregistrements commerciaux, souvent en langue Abakuá. Comme leur langue est une langue secrète réservée exclusivement aux initiés, les Abakuá ont enregistré dans le commerce de véritables chants de cette société, tout en sachant que les profanes ne pourraient pas les interpréter. Pourtant, ces enregistrements furent extrêmement populaires car les Abakuá représentent un aspect rebelle, voire anticolonialiste de la culture cubaine. Aujourd'hui jouée partout dans les Amériques, en Afrique, en Europe et en Asie, la musique populaire cubaine et ses dérivés maintiennent la langue et l'esthétique Abakuá comme parties intégrantes. Parce que si peu a été écrit sur cette société par ses membres eux-mêmes, les enregistrements commerciaux comprenant un contenu Abakuá sont une source importante de connaissances sur ce groupe. En écoutant leurs paroles, nous nous sommes rendus compte que les musiciens Abakuá ont chanté leurs contributions à l'histoire cubaine, leurs luttes pour la libération et les relations entre les races. Nos recherches suggèrent l'importance grandissante d'Abakuá en tant que symbole de la culture cubaine.

Type
Special Issue on the Diaspora
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 43 , Issue 1: Africa's Diaspora: A Special Issue , April 2000 , pp. 161 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2000

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