Cuba is a multi-cultural country. Cuba’s creole culture comes from Spain, the indigenous people of the Caribbean, and several distinct and different African cultures. It should therefore be no surprise that the languages and concepts of these many cultures are represented in idiomatic Cuban speech.
This glossary is to help you understand some of the many words and concepts you might encounter as you become involved in Afro-Cuban dance, music and culture.
Abacuá (also spelled Abakuá, Abakwá)
A secret men’s society in Cuba that evolved from the secret leopard societies of the Efík culture from the Cross River region of what is now southeastern Nigeria.
Abanico
Lit: Fan (Spanish). Abanico also refers to the rim-shot and roll that is a signature technique of the timbales.
Aberinkula
Unconsecrated Batá drums.
Achê
A Yoruba word which translates literally as “The power to create.” Popularly used as a salutation, to wish somebody good energy.
Afro Cubano
A rhythmic style from the 1940’s often used to accompany lullabyes, or to interpret songs about Afro-Cuban religious themes.
Agayú (also spelled Agallú)
The Orisha of the volcano.
Agbé (also spelled Agwé, Agüé)
The Yoruba name for the instrument that in Cuba is popularly called Chéquere (also spelled Chékere, Shékere).
Akpwón
The lead singer in Yoruba sacred music.
Alafia
Health; goodness; a positive sign in Ifá divination.
Anaforuana
An ideographic writing system used by Abacuá societies in Cuba that derives directly from the Nsibidi ideographs from Calabar.
Aña
The Orisha that resides within consecrated Batá drums.
Arará
Afro-Cuban religion, language, dances, and drums that evolved primarily from the Fon culture (and related ethnic groups) from the old kingdom of Dahomey (which is currently known as Benin).
Arawak
One of several indigenous cultures inhabiting Cuba before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores.
Areito
1. An elaborate musical festival of the indigenous people of Cuba.
2. A name given to one of the musical precursors of Cuban Songo.
Atcheré (also spelled Achere)
A gourd rattle usually played by the Akpwón when singing in front of a Batá ensemble.
Babalawo
Lit: Father of the mystery (Yoruba). A Babalawo is a Yoruba priest of Ifa divination.
Babalorisha
Lit: Father of the Orisha. A Babalorisha is a Yoruba priest.
Babalú Aiyé (also spelled Babaluayé)
The Yoruba deity of infectious diseases (such as Smallpox in times past; and currently HIV). Babalu Aiye was originally from Dahomey, and is often given ceremonies in the Arará style.
Batá
A trio of double-headed, hourglass shaped drums that are sacred in Yoruba culture.
Bante
A beaded and embroidered cloth used to dress consecrated Batá drums.
Bantú
A large group of related cultures from central-west Africa, which today includes the nations of Congo (Kinshasa), Congo (Brazzaville) and as far south as northern Angola. In Cuba Bantú culture is represented most directly in the Palo religion. Much of Cuba’s popular music owes a great deal to Bantú culture.
Barracones
Barracks that formerly housed slaves. Many baracones have been turned into solares that today remain incubators of Afro-Cuban culture.
Baqueteo
1. A technique for playing timbales with one stick and one empty hand; which is a direct transferral of a traditional African technique.
2. The rhythm played on the timbales for Danzón which employs this technique.
Bembé
Bembé refers to any one of several diverse sets of drums used for playing Yoruba sacred music in Cuba. Bembé also refers to the rhythms that are played as part of the sacred music; and the occasions at which these drums and rhythms are played.
Bilongo
Bantú medicine.
Bokú
A drum from Santiago de Cuba typically used in the Comparsas to play the Conga rhythms of Cuban Carnaval.
Bolero
A slow, romantic Cuban ballad.
Bonkó Enchemiyá
The improvising drum in the Abacuá musical ensemble.
Bombo
1. The Spanish term for bass drum.
2. An accent (often expressed with a bass note) played on the second note of the “3” side of the clave.
Bombo Criollo
An adaptation of the European military marching bass drum for the Comparsa de Carnaval. This drum’s parts are all organized around the very specific Bombo accent.
Bongó
A small, double-headed drum that was developed in Oriente province from African drums for playing Son.
Cabildo
Afro-Cuban religious and self-help organization and social club. Cabildos operated in Cuba under the protection of the Catholic Church. They were instrumental in buying people out of slavery. The Cabildos also created a space where African religions were able to be practiced under the guise of Catholicism.
Cachimbo (also spelled Kachimbo)
The highest drum in various families of Bantú drums for playing Yuka, Makuta and Palo.
Caja
Lit: Box (Spanish). The lowest drum in various families of Bantú drums, used as the lead drum for playing Yuka, Makuta and Palo. Also refers to the lowest Chéquere in a Güiro ensemble.
Cajones
Wooden boxes used especially for playing Rumba (most traditionally Yambú).
Campana
Bell. Often refers to the cowbells played in Cuban music.
Caña Brava
A large piece of bamboo used for playing the staccato palitos patterns in Rumba. Caña Brava is also often called Guagua. The Caña Brava serves the same musical function as the Catá in Bantú music.
Carabalí
A term in Cuba that refers to the people and culture came from the Calabar region of Cross River State in southeastern Nigera. Because the cultural predecessors of the Cuban Abacúa cults are from this region, the term Carabalí is often synonomous with Abacuá culture.
Caribe
One of several indigenous cultures inhabiting Cuba before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores.
Carnaval
A pre-lenten festival traditionally held before Ash Wednesday; analogous to the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, as an expression of Afro culture. Since the Revolution, Cuban Carnaval has been moved from late winter (so that it doesn’t interrupt the sugar cane harvest) to July (in celebration of the July 26 Movement).
Cascabel
The small jingle bells which are attached to the Chaworó.
Cáscara
Lit: Shell (Spanish). In Cuban music cascara refers to the shell of the timbales; to the technique used for playing on the shell of the timbales; and to the characteristic rhythms played on the shell of the timbales.
Catá
A section of hollowed out log used for playing palitos patterns in ensembles playing Bantú musics such as Yuka, Makuta and Palo.
Cencerro
A large hand-held cowbell often played in Cuban popular music.
Cha-cha-chá
A bouncy yet elegant style of music and dance developed in the 1950’s by Enrique Jorrín from the distinctive sound that dancers feet made as they scraped the floor while dancing during the solo section of Danzón. Cha-cha-chá was popularized by groups such as Orquesta Aragón; and is still a very popular and often used style.
Chamalongo
The system of divination used in Palo.
Changó (also spelled Shangó)
The Orisha of thunder, machismo and the Batá drums.
Changüi
An early form of Son from Guantánamo which features a distinctive bongó style.
Charanga Francesa
An instrumentation used originally for playing French Contredanse; which utilized a string section, various woodwinds and European timpani drums. Modern Charangas feature a rhythm section of bass, piano, timbales, güiro, and conga drum; a string section of several violins, and a lead flute.
Chaworó (also spelled Chaguoró)
A harness of bells strung around both heads of the Ilú Iyá, which cause the drum to jingle as it is played.
Chéquere (also spelled Chékere, Shekere)
A beaded gourd instrument of Yoruba origin originally used for playing sacred music in the Toque de Güiro ensembles. Also known by its Spanish name Güiro (gourd); and by its Yoruba name Agbé (also spelled Agwé or Agüé).
Cierre
A break that is hit by an entire ensemble.
Cimarrón
A term used for an escaped African slave in Cuba.
Cinquillo
A distinctive five-note rhythmic cell that shows up in many diverse Afro-Cuban rhythms. Cinquillo can be understood as an elaborated version of Tresillo.
Clave
A two-measure rhythmic pattern which alternates between “strong” measures with pronounced syncopated accents; and “weak” measures with fundemental downbeat accents. This alternation between measures of tension and release is the motive that drives most forms of Afro-Cuban music.
Claves
A pair of small, polished hardwood sticks often used to play the various clave patterns that exist in Afro-Cuban music.
Columbia
A compound meter part of the Rumba complex. Columbia features a rhythmically challenging superimposition of duple and triple meters. Columbia is danced only by men, who compete to show off all of their best moves.
Comparsa
Musical groups that parade during the carnaval celebrations in Cuba.
Conga de Comparsa
A family of related rhythms typically played during the carnaval celebrations in Cuba.
Conga Drum
The popular name in the US for a family of drums that descended from Congolese Makuta drums in Cuba. The Conga drum is much more commonly known in Cuba as the Tumbadora.
Congo (also Kongo)
People or culture of Bantú descent.
Coro
The fixed refrain which is sung by a chorus in the call-and-response form of singing common to most Afro-Cuban music. Coro also refers to the chorus itself.
Danzón
An elegant Cuban music that evolved in the late 19th century from the creolization of French Contredanse with musical elements from Son Cubano, and Afro-Cuban instruments such as Güiro and Timbales.
Décima
A traditional Spanish poetic form which features octosyllabic lines organized in ten-line stanzas, with a very specific rhyme pattern. Décima remains an important form in Son, Rumba and various types of música guajira.
Descarga
From the verb descargar - to unload. In Cuban music a descarga refers to a jam session; or to a style of music that focuses more on solo improvisation than on ensemble composition and form.
Diana
An introductory section of the Rumba which features vocables sung by either the lead singer and/or the chorus.
Echú/Elegua (also spelled Elegba, Elegbara)
Yoruba deity of the crossroads of life; the messenger between the physical and spiritual worlds. Elegua is portrayed as a mischievous, child-like trickster who provokes people to choose the correct path.
Egun
Deceased ancestor (Yoruba).
Elekes (Collares in Spanish)
Yoruba beaded necklaces worn by Santería initiates.
Ekón
A raw iron bell used in Abacuá musical ensembles.
Ewe
Lit: Leaves (Yoruba). The sacred medicinal herbs of Santería.
Enkomo
The trio of three small drums that create the supporting rhythms in Abacuá musical ensembles. The three drums making up the Enkomo are the the Obiapá (lowest drum), Kuchí Yeremá (middle drum) and Binkomé (highest drum).
Erekundí
A pair of woven shakers used in Abacuá musical ensembles.
Espiritismo
European style spiritism that was founded by Allan Kardek. Although espiritismo is practiced by some Cubans, and has been incorporated into some of the ancestor worship practices of both Santería and Palo; it should not be confused with traditional Yoruba or Bantú ancestor worship.
Estribillo
The refrain commonly found in Verse & Refrain type forms.
Fon
A culture from the old kingdom of Dahomey (currently Benin) that was one of the main influences on the Arará culture in Cuba
Fundamento
1. A set of consecrated Batá, infused with Aña.
2. An Orisha’s fundemental symbols, ritual tools and implements.
Gallo
Lit: Rooster (Spanish). Often refers to the lead singer in Rumba.
Garabato
1. A crooked stick commonly used when cutting with a machete.
2. A celebration which comes from the encounter of Bantú people with sugar cane culture.
3. The crooked stick that is a common implement used by Elegua as he dances.
Guaguancó
A moderate to fast part of the Rumba complex. The dance in Guaguancó features couples playing out the many dramas that exist between men and women. The woman dances seductively to entice her partner, but then spurns his advances at the last moment. The man treats the woman very formally, but then ultimately reveals his true intentions with the overtly sexual gesture of the Vacunao (literally vaccination).
Guajiro/a
A Cuban rural peasant. The Guajiro represents one of the central images of the Cuban national identity.
Guaracha
A moderately fast style of Son with a distinctive type of melody and form. Modern Cuban popular music and Salsa still often use the Guaracha style.
Guarapachangeo
A relatively new, free-wheeling style of rumba pioneered by Pancho Quinto.
Guataca
An iron hoe blade that is often used to sound the 6/8 clave common in Bembé and Palo music.
Guateque
A rural Cuban celebration.
Guerreros
Lit: Warriors (Spanish). Elegua, Ogún and Ochosi together are considered to be the three warrior Orishas that provide spiritual protection to an initiate.
Güiro (lit: Gourd)
1. An elongated gourd with ridges cut in its surface which produce a rasping sound when scraped with a stick. Both Africans as well as indigenous people from Cuba probably used this instrument in a similar fashion. Today, Güiro is commonly played in many forms of són, Danzón and Cha cha chá.
2. Güiro also often refers to the gourd instruments known as Chéquere.
Habanero/a
A resident of Cuba’s capitol city, La Habana.
Habanera
A 19th century Cuban song style that is a precursor to Danzón.
Ifá
The system of divination that is at the heart of Yoruba religion.
Ilé
House, community, family. (Yoruba)
Ilú
Drum (Yoruba)
Ilú Iyá
Lit: Mother Drum (Yoruba). Commonly refers to the largest Batá drum, which plays the role of lead drum, improvising and calling for conversations with the Itótele.
Iré
Goodness, luck, fortune (Yoruba).
Iremé
Masked dancers in the Abacuá societies.
Iruke (also spelled Eruke)
A fly whisk made from a horse tail; emblematic of royalty to the Yoruba.
Itónes
The palitos sometimes played in Abacuá musical ensembles.
Itotelé
The middle drum in the trio of Batá drums; which responds to the calls of the Ilú Iyá to create complex conversations between the drums.
Iyá
Mother (Yoruba).
Iyalorisha
Lit: Mother of the Orisha. An Iyalorisha is a Yoruba priestess.
Iyawo
(lit: Bride of the Orisha). A newly initiated Yoruba priest/ess.
Iyesá
Rhythms, drums, songs and dances in styles that evolved from the city of Ilesha in Osun State in Yorubaland.
Kalunga
The Bantú world of the dead.
La Habana
The capitol city of Cuba.
Latin Jazz
A hybrid music which combines the complex harmony, virtuouso solo technique and/or repertoire from African-American Jazz with Afro-Latin rhythms, instruments, forms and/or repertoires.
Laúd Cubano
A twelve-string Cuban guitar with six courses of doubled strings, which is a signature instrument in various forms of Música Guajira; and which is also used to great effect in older and more rural forms of Són.
Limpieza
A ritual cleansing.
Lucumí (also spelled Lukumí)
The term used in Cuba to refer to religion and language from Yoruba culture.
Maferefún
Thanks be to... (Yoruba)
Mambo
1. The congolese chants sung in Palo and other Bantú religions.
2. A Haitian priestess of Vodoun (i.e. somebody who leads the singing of the mambos).
3. A high-energy song section where the various horns play contrasting figures against the ostinato patterns of the rhythm section.
4. An energetic dance music popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s organized around the types of contrasting figures typical of the mambo section.
Makuta
A family of drums, rhythms and songs in Cuba of Bantú origin.
Maribo (also spelled Mariwo)
The skirt of palm fronds worn by Ogún.
Marímbula
A large African thumb piano, which played the bassline in early, rural forms of son.
Maruga
A metal rattle or shaker sometimes played in Rumba groups.
Matanzas
A provincial city about 75 miles east of La Habana that is rich in Afro-Cuban culture.
Moforibale
A Yoruba ritual prostration.
Moyuba
A ritual Yoruba salutation.
Mozambique
An original variation on Cuban Carnaval rhythms created in the 1960’s by Pedro Izquierdo (better known as Pello el Afrokán).
Mula
The middle pitched drum which carries the central rhythm in various families of Bantú drums for playing Yuka, Makuta and Palo.
Música Guajira
Rural Cuban music, which is played on a variety of stringed instruments (such as Spanish 6 string guitar, Tres Cubano, Láud Cubano and Tiple) and percussion such as Bongó, Maracas, Clave and Güiro. Música Guajira often derives from classic forms from the Spanish troubadors. Some typical forms of Música Guajira include Zapateo and Punto Cubano.
Ndoki
Bantú sorcerer.
Nganga
Bantú ritual expert.
Nkaniká
Bells worn around the waist of an Iremé that shake when he dances during Abacuá rituals.
Nkisi (plural: Minkisi)
A living Bantú charm housed in a variety of possible vessels which combines medicines and other spirit embodying materials, and a soul which animates the charm.
Nzambi (also spelled Nsambi, Sambi, Sambia)
Bantú supreme deity.
Ñañigo
A derisive slang term for members of Abacuá.
Obatalá
The Orisha sculptor who created the earth. Obatalá personifies the principle of mental clarity.
Obí
Kola Nut (in Nigeria) or Coconut (in Cuba) used for Ifá divination.
Ochosi
The Yoruba hunter deity; always portrayed with his bow and arrow.
Ochún (also spelled Oshún)
The Orisha of the sweet water of lakes and rivers. Ochún personifies sweetness and love; but can also be vain and fiercely proud. In Cuba Ochún is syncretized with La Caridad del Cobre, Cuba’s patron saint.
Odú
Destiny (Yoruba)
Ogún
Yoruba deity of iron, portrayed as a blacksmith. Because so many weapons are made from iron Ogún is often considered to be a deity of war. But iron is also what brought the machete for clearing land; and the hoe for cultivating that land. It is this sort of settled agriculture that made the the great Yoruba cities; and the extraordinary Yoruba culture. This makes Ogún even more important as a diety of civilization than as a deity of war.
Okónkolo
The smallest of the three Batá drums, with a dry, staccato sound.
Olokún
The Orisha of the ocean depths.
Oludumare
Almighty God. Lit: Owner of all destinies (Yoruba).
Omí
Water (Yoruba)
Omiero
Herb-infused water used for ritual cleansings. In Yorubaland Omiero also contains fluid drawn from the snails that are dear to Obatalá.
Oriente Province
Cuba’s eastern-most province. Considered to be the birthplace of Son. There is a strong influence in Oriente of the African’s of Dahomean descent that were brought to Oriente from Haiti following the Haitian Revolution of 1791. This influence is most apparent in the Arará houses and the Tumba Francesa societies.
Orisha (also spelled Oricha)
A type of Yoruba deity.
Orisha Oko
The Orisha of the farm and cultivated land.
Orula (also known as Orunmila)
The Orisha of divination.
Osain
The Orisha of medicinal herbs.
Oshé
The double-headed ax of Changó.
Oyá (also spelled Ollá)
The Orisha of wind and rain. Oyá wears a skirt of nine colors; and dances spinning like a whirlwind.
Palenques
Maroon communities formed by Africans escaping slavery in Cuba, where they had the freedom to resurrect their native cultures.
Pailas
Lit: Pails (Spanish). Pailas is the word most commonly used in Cuba for the timbales.
Palitos
Lit: Little sticks (Spanish). Palitos commonly refers to drumsticks; and also to the the staccato patterns typically played by the drumsticks in Rumba.
Palo Mayombe
Bantú religion in Cuba.
Prenda
A cauldron used in Cuba to house Bantú Minkisi charms.
Quinto
The highest pitched conga, which improvises when playing rumba.
Rhumba
A word used (erroneously) by Northamericans since the 1920’s to refer to Cuban Son. Also refers to the ballroom dance that was invented by Northamericans to dance to the music they were calling Rhumba.
Rumba
A complex of uniquely Afro-Cuban folkloric rhythms, songs and dances; which contain influences from both Spanish and several distinct African cultures, including Bantú and Efík. The three main styles of rumba are known as Yambú, Guaguancó and Columbia.
Salidor
The improvising drum in the Conga de Comparsa rhythm.
Salsa
Lit: Sauce (Spanish). Salsa also refers to a genre of music that has evolved from a variety of popular Cuban musical styles; but makes regular use of complex jazz harmonies and exhibits a distinctly urban sensibility.
Santería
An Afro-Cuban religion which is fundementally Yoruba in practice, with some influences, iconography and practices assimilated from Catholicism, European Spiritism and other West African religions.
Santero/a
A Priest/ess in Santería.
Santiago de Cuba
The capitol city of Oriente province; and Cuba’s second largest city. Santiago is known for its Carnaval celebrations, for its strong son tradition, and for its strong Haitian influence, which is apparent in its Tumba Francesa societies and its Arará houses.
Sartenes
Lit: Frying Pans (Spanish). The sartenes are commonly played in the Comparsas de Carnaval. Their clanging rhythmic cacaphony is typical part of the sound of Carnaval.
Siboney (also spelled Ciboney)
One of several indigenous cultures inhabiting Cuba before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores.
Solares
The name for the tenement buildings many habaneros live in.
Son
Popular music that developed in Oriente province from a variety of Spanish and African influences. Son remains the backbone for the majority of Cuban popular music and salsa.
Songo
An eclectic contemporary style of Afro-Cuban popular music pioneered by Los Van Van (led by bassist Juan Formell); based on the rhythmic innovations of Changuito (José Luís Quintana) and the convoluted montunos of pianist César ‘Pupi’ Pedroso. Songo blends elements of Rumba, Son, Conga de Comparsa, and a variety of other Afro-Cuban styles (both secular and sacred) with elements of African-American Jazz and Funk.
Son Guajiro
An early, rural form of Son featuring arpeggiated Tres lines and songs that were often based on pastoral themes.
Taino
One of several indigenous cultures inhabiting Cuba before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores.
Timba
Cuba’s newest wave of popular dance music. Timba combines a Hip-Hop aesthetic with some of the deepest elements of Cuban music to produce some of the most sophisticated and compelling popular music in the world. Timba is hyper-syncopated even by Cuban standards.
Timbales
A pair of metal drums developed as a more portable alternative to the European timpani drums for playing French Contredanse, Danza and Danzón. Originally the timbales belonged solely to the Charanga Francesa instrumentations; but today timbales can be found in many diverse genres of Cuban popular music.
Tocar
A verb meaning to touch or to play (a musical instrument).
Toque
The pattern or rhythm which is played on a musical instrument.
Toque de Güiro
One of many typical instrumentations for playing Yoruba ligurgical music. The Toque de Güiro instrumentation features a trio of chéquere’s; an iron instrument such as a cencerro or guataca which plays the clave; and a single tumbadora which acts as the improvising drum.
Tres Cubano
A Cuban guitar with three courses of doubled strings, which is a signature instrument in various forms of Són and Música Guajira.
Tresillo
A distinctive three-note rhythmic cell that shows up in many diverse Afro-Cuban rhythms (for instance, the three-side of the son clave). Tresillo can be understood as the skeleton of Cinquillo.
Trompeta China (aka Corneta China)
A double-reed horn of brought to Cuba by Chinese migrant laborers; which is a typical sound of the Conga Santiaguera.
Tumbadora
A family of secular drums that descended from the Congas de Comparsa and the Makuta drums. Modern tumbadoras are constructed out of staves and feature tuneable hardware. Tumbadores are popularly known in the US as Conga drums.
Tumba Francesa
Societies of Africans of Dahomean descent who arrived in Cuba’s Oriente province from Haiti following the Haitian Revolution of 1791. Tumba Francesa also refers to the complex of rhythms and the family of drums that are played by these societies.
Yambú
The oldest and slowest rhythm in the Rumba complex. This dance focuses on the gracefulness of the couple, without the sexual tension (and sexual gesture) that characterizes Guaguancó. Yambú is most often played on Cajones.
Yemayá (also spelled Yemonjá)
The Orisha of the oceans, which are the origin of all life. That makes Yemayá a primordial mother figure. Yemaya’s dance sometime portrays the gently undulating waves of the sea; and other times portrays a raging tempest.
Yoruba
A people and culture from what is now southwest Nigeria and Benin. Their complex religion and world view, and their advanced arts made them one of the most important African cultures in the new world in general, and Cuba in particular.
Yowa
Bantú pictogram of the cosmos.
Yuka
An old Bantú fertility dance which portrays the roosters inseminating hens in the barnyard.
Yuka refers to the dance, the songs, the complex of rhythms and the drums used for this secular festival.
Website designed & maintained by Brandon Marger © 2007–2008
Photo credits - Victor Guevara, Tom Schneeloch, Leigh Salvage, Maria de la Vega