Traditions That Immigrated to Puerto Rico

The first American area to be populated by African immigrants was the Caribbean. The entering population had a strong influence of their own culture which impacted the region for years to come. Traditional art, food, dance, and music had migrated with them. Immigrants from all over the world impacted America with their own traditions. Living in New York we see that beautiful mix just walking down the street. Halal trucks on every corner with lines filled with every type of person, Chinatown is packed with tourists from all over the world, and Soul food, Hispanic, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Cuisine have all been changed and adapted to fit the American taste bud.

Everything has come to this country and adapted itself through the years, this process is “Americanization”. But at what point do the origins get lost? Once something is changed so much and built in different ways and styles, is it still the same? Salsa has been changed over decades of development, can we even pinpoint exactly where it came from?

Arguably, most sounds in music can be traced back to African tradition.

Latin music is specifically adopted from the African continent with an energetic and vibrating percussion sound. Salsa resembles mambo (to an extent). The creation of Salsa comes from many different influences. Originating from Bomba, African slaves were brought over to Borínquen (Puerto Rico) in 1513 as substitute labor and mixed with the Tainos (indigenous people of the Caribbean). Bomba was born, named after the African drums that were used in this music.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified

Proficient in: Culture

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Bomba was used to praise the African and Taino Gods; during a Bomba there was chanting and dancing along with heavy drum beats. Plena evolved from the Bomba; however, it is more sophisticated musically, because the instruments involved were the drums, the guiro, flute and accordion or harmonica. Plena was first heard on the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico, and it usually discussed latest news in town, thus having a satirical element to them.

There is much debate about whether Salsa is originally from Cuba or Puerto Rico, since the Plenas were first heard on the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico, even though the Plena evolved into the Cuban Són, from which Salsa also evolved. The style traveled causing the debate because a group of Cuban exiles during the Batista dictatorship fled to Puerto Rico, and introduced the Són to the Puerto Ricans, and it was thrown into the mix of Puerto Rican culture. Almost half a million Puerto Ricans migrated to New York in the 50’s, young Puerto Rican musicians moved to New York to make their talent known. In the early 60’s Salsa was born in New York to satisfy the need for things “Puerto Rican” due to this large new population. One of the young musicians was Johnny Pacheco, who has been credited for bringing salsa to New York, believes salsa is native to Cuba and was invented and perfected there.

Salsa has also been popular and performed in cities outside of its roots and the United States like Tokyo, Berlin, and Sydney. Orquesta de la Luz is a Japanese salsa band that formed in 1990 when they broke up in mid 90’s; the remaining member is the lead vocalist Nora. She sings in Spanish and dances salsa on stage After the band’s breakup, Nora became part of the Salsa Giants and performed regularly with them. Her energy on stage has been compared to Celia Cruz.

The United States adapted salsa into many different styles such as meringue, salsa, cumbia, chacha, bachata. The principal instruments in salsa music are string; bass guitar, and brass; trombones and trumpets. They are mandatory for the salsa genre, but some artists can add many other instruments too. It advances the style, by giving it a unique sound and individuality for the performer and could assist in hearing the differences between cumbia, bachata, etc.

Salsa dancing is considered to be “appropriate” compared to others. The composers tend to keep the lyrics and content of the songs simple and easy to understand. Usually romantic and sexual or emotional implications. The music and lyrics of salsa do not have to be planned or written. Improvisation is a popular form of performing salsa styles. The reason for this is salsa does not revolve around lyrics, it revolves around rhythm and feeling. The improvisation helps create a relationship with the performers and dancers by giving an emotional atmosphere.

In New York, the record company Fania Records was developed. The company was dominantly based on salsa music and artists. The above mentioned Johnny Pacheco and Jerry Masucci founded the company and are the reasons salsa had influenced others. Plena and son montuno sounds were introduced when Fania Records was working with Hector Lavoe’s El Malo and Willie Colon in 1967 once this new sound was created, the spread of salsa began.

The rebirth of salsa was 1971, this was when salsa started to have crowds of people at performances specifically Cheetah nightclub. From New York City, salsa traveled to Miami, Puerto Rico, Cali (in Colombia), LA, Cuba and it eventually traveled to Spain to take over Europe. Salsa was migrating all over the world fast. This is when Celia Cruz and Eddie Palmieri were unstoppable. Their influences and styles have been adopted by upcoming artists and their styles will go on forever.

In the 1980s salsa had been reborn once again. Salsa already had its romantic qualities. Joe Arroyo lead the band La Verdad and he helped develop sweet melodies, and made his music even more sexual and emotional then it had been from the start. This begins the divide between Latin listeners and America’s younger generation. Latin communities prefered the original genre while new discovering listeners enjoyed the newness of the style. This is when salsa crosses border after border, through to Mexico, Argentina and even Japan.

Salsa was once again revived in the 90s. This generation of artists include Carlos Vives who created his own style which caused a chain reaction resulting in Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony and Victor Manuelle all creating their own style and elements introducing multiple styles within a genre that has already proved its own unique independence from other genres.

Going through decade to decade, each artist is from a different Latin region, whether it is Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, or Colombia they have all had a piece in creating the salsa style we know today.

So, who gets the credit? The original root is the African sound because the strong percussion. But who made salsa? Cuba? As Johnny Pacheco claimed? Or Puerto Rico where son and mambo influences were added? Could it be that all these regions worked together to create the strongest musical bond between all the Latin communities? Or does one deserve eternal dibs? Should it be decided by the background of there more influential artists?

The African influence was taken to Cuba where the style began development, from there the sound moved Miami, in the 30s, where it was not yet salsa. Still in the 30’s, Puerto Ricans brings son and mambo to New York, where salsa got its name and where the Fania label came together and strived. Salsa today is so big and so much different then it has been in the past that each style will be traced to a different region. Some may argue Cuba, Puerto Rico, or New York City to be the home of salsa.