I remember reading about how Haitians and Dominicans had disputes as to who created the Merengue genre. What do you think about this? Do you believe that there is a slight chance that Merengue was created by a Haitian on the Dominican side of the island during the days when we both were part of the same country?
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The dispute over Merengue
Very similar
If you look at the way Haitians dance, their music and tempo is very similar to the meringue, although the beat is sometimes a lot slower. Since we have such similar roots and the background and basic rhythm and way of dancing all have the African roots, I wouldn?t discard the idea at all.
If you look at the way Haitians dance, their music and tempo is very similar to the meringue, although the beat is sometimes a lot slower. Since we have such similar roots and the background and basic rhythm and way of dancing all have the African roots, I wouldn?t discard the idea at all.
Ha HA HA HAAAA, he he he he ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Merengue was in fact a product of several popular mixes of dance and music in a time when Mangulina and African drums were the rule of the parties and this couldn't be any truer than the fact that Generalissimo Benefactor y padre de la patria nueva Rafael Leonidas Trujillo y Molina had the merengue played at many if not all Dominican embassies to the pleasure of those cultures which lacked anything faster than a waltz, to say Merengue was in fact a byproduct or in any way related to any Haitian music or dance style in an understatement! But of course that Hatian music is closely related to the Dominican Merengue just as Dominican music had influenced the Haitian musical and dance styles, but to imply in any shape or form the creation of the Merengue or how it came to be to an Haitian individual or a bunch of them is like comparing Beethoven's music credits to the church of it's time, the fact that both were comtenporaneous doesn't mean both are in fact the same or share the same roots even when Beethoven's works sound more of the church than the church's own at times, I doubt pretty much you have had the chance to experience enough Hatian music to conclude that both are more the same than not, if you can tell me a Danzon and a Guaguanco are equal and the same then I believe you should try and read and listen more closely to music before you can discriminate one or the other with a palpable knowledge of the issue and an ear for the same...
Merengue was in fact a product of several popular mixes of dance and music in a time when Mangulina and African drums were the rule of the parties and this couldn't be any truer than the fact that Generalissimo Benefactor y padre de la patria nueva Rafael Leonidas Trujillo y Molina had the merengue played at many if not all Dominican embassies to the pleasure of those cultures which lacked anything faster than a waltz, to say Merengue was in fact a byproduct or in any way related to any Haitian music or dance style in an understatement! But of course that Hatian music is closely related to the Dominican Merengue just as Dominican music had influenced the Haitian musical and dance styles, but to imply in any shape or form the creation of the Merengue or how it came to be to an Haitian individual or a bunch of them is like comparing Beethoven's music credits to the church of it's time, the fact that both were comtenporaneous doesn't mean both are in fact the same or share the same roots even when Beethoven's works sound more of the church than the church's own at times, I doubt pretty much you have had the chance to experience enough Hatian music to conclude that both are more the same than not, if you can tell me a Danzon and a Guaguanco are equal and the same then I believe you should try and read and listen more closely to music before you can discriminate one or the other with a palpable knowledge of the issue and an ear for the same...
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By the way Ayiciano you have got to be Haitian or of Hatian parents to tell me you have read this somewhere, it must be printed on a book known to creole readers only...
Mon Amie Ayiciano....
Mon Amie Ayiciano....
Merengue continued
Very funny Pichardo. I think the word Ayiciano says it all. I am a Haitian of Haitian parents of course. In actuality, I read about this in plain English on a site that spoke about different caribbean rhythms and I was shocked. I never knew that there was any dispute about Merengue possibly being a Dominico/Haitian concoction. I think I have heard enough Konpa to see any similarity with Merengue. Konpa or Kompa Direk, has a similar conga rhythm to the old merengue rhythm. In fact it sounds like the Haitian raboday beat. The Merengue dance seems to have striking similarities to the Konpa dance except the Merengue dance is more faster. The poster above made a good point. We both have African background which definitely could have been the cause of this similarity. When I hear Cuban folklore music, I hear many rhythms that Haitian folklore has also. It is no wonder that I enjoy their music so much. They seem to be more proud of their African Heritage than Haitians are.
PICHARDO said:
Very funny Pichardo. I think the word Ayiciano says it all. I am a Haitian of Haitian parents of course. In actuality, I read about this in plain English on a site that spoke about different caribbean rhythms and I was shocked. I never knew that there was any dispute about Merengue possibly being a Dominico/Haitian concoction. I think I have heard enough Konpa to see any similarity with Merengue. Konpa or Kompa Direk, has a similar conga rhythm to the old merengue rhythm. In fact it sounds like the Haitian raboday beat. The Merengue dance seems to have striking similarities to the Konpa dance except the Merengue dance is more faster. The poster above made a good point. We both have African background which definitely could have been the cause of this similarity. When I hear Cuban folklore music, I hear many rhythms that Haitian folklore has also. It is no wonder that I enjoy their music so much. They seem to be more proud of their African Heritage than Haitians are.
Ayiciano Compadre have a drink on me!
True it's that both Haiti and DR share the bond of African roots in their own respective music and dances, yet the conclusion reached in the text reading you exposed to start this thread points to the initiation of merengue by an Haitian, as you quite clearly pointed out Konpa shares many aspects and some similarities to the merengue, but it's more closely similiar to the earlier style of merengue "Mangulina" as it was called and still is, if you have been to the Campos in the DR and had the chance to be present at one of the many Fiestas de Palos you'll quickly notice the heavy use of African drums and beats by the percussioners, the chants and dances are African in all aspects and they keep the traditions of the early African slaves when they danced in the ritual and celebrations, the fact that Dominicans keep dancing to Merengue unchanged for a looooooong period of time it's a testament to the pride of a nation dancing the joy and singing thanks to our maker and saints, just as Papa Candelo, Anaisa, San Miguel, Osha and many others are still present today as strong as they were yester is in fact prove that African values are still embedded in the fabric of the Dominican culture to stay for a long time.
Just as Bachata came to be danced and heard in the Discos and dance floors from it's dark origins in the Bar and bordellos, Merengue came from the mountains and plains into the hall and ballrooms of the Dominican aristocracy to stay, nobody invented it, nobody struck the first Merengue, it just happened to be because it was danced and delighted the souls of many Dominicans tired from the toiling in the land and eased the aristocracy from their waltz and ballroom dances, it was and still is Merengue plain and simple a monument to the humbled beginings of two people that now share and island divided by color and language, and yes also by their distinctive dance and music...
True it's that both Haiti and DR share the bond of African roots in their own respective music and dances, yet the conclusion reached in the text reading you exposed to start this thread points to the initiation of merengue by an Haitian, as you quite clearly pointed out Konpa shares many aspects and some similarities to the merengue, but it's more closely similiar to the earlier style of merengue "Mangulina" as it was called and still is, if you have been to the Campos in the DR and had the chance to be present at one of the many Fiestas de Palos you'll quickly notice the heavy use of African drums and beats by the percussioners, the chants and dances are African in all aspects and they keep the traditions of the early African slaves when they danced in the ritual and celebrations, the fact that Dominicans keep dancing to Merengue unchanged for a looooooong period of time it's a testament to the pride of a nation dancing the joy and singing thanks to our maker and saints, just as Papa Candelo, Anaisa, San Miguel, Osha and many others are still present today as strong as they were yester is in fact prove that African values are still embedded in the fabric of the Dominican culture to stay for a long time.
Just as Bachata came to be danced and heard in the Discos and dance floors from it's dark origins in the Bar and bordellos, Merengue came from the mountains and plains into the hall and ballrooms of the Dominican aristocracy to stay, nobody invented it, nobody struck the first Merengue, it just happened to be because it was danced and delighted the souls of many Dominicans tired from the toiling in the land and eased the aristocracy from their waltz and ballroom dances, it was and still is Merengue plain and simple a monument to the humbled beginings of two people that now share and island divided by color and language, and yes also by their distinctive dance and music...
Merengue or Merengue
Actually I believe one can't really pinpoint whether merengue can be claimed on Haitian side or the Dominican side if you listen to old merengue from both sides of the island it is quite obvious that they are very very similar. At one point Kompas was called Merengue but some musicians changed the name in order to distinguish from dominican merengue in the late 50's and early 60's.
All I can say is that Dominicans had promoted merengue to reach acclaim through out the americas more than Haitians have. BTW, Trujillo promoted merengue throughout DR because he had to. The aristocrats (the minority Spaniard and French descendants) were forced to dance to merengue in the Ballrooms by Trujillo because he knew deep down in his heart he would never be accepted and really couldn't appreciate classic boleros. His motto was here listen to this campo music and make it upper class or else I kill you..HAHAHHA
Trujillo himself has haitian blood (Grandmother was haitian) so I really can't see the island divided by color unless you consider light skin and dark skin to be from different ethnic backgrounds. The only thing that separates the island in my opinion is language. Music crosses are boundaries and languages so I definitely think Dominican music has its influence and similarities with haitian Kompas
Actually I believe one can't really pinpoint whether merengue can be claimed on Haitian side or the Dominican side if you listen to old merengue from both sides of the island it is quite obvious that they are very very similar. At one point Kompas was called Merengue but some musicians changed the name in order to distinguish from dominican merengue in the late 50's and early 60's.
All I can say is that Dominicans had promoted merengue to reach acclaim through out the americas more than Haitians have. BTW, Trujillo promoted merengue throughout DR because he had to. The aristocrats (the minority Spaniard and French descendants) were forced to dance to merengue in the Ballrooms by Trujillo because he knew deep down in his heart he would never be accepted and really couldn't appreciate classic boleros. His motto was here listen to this campo music and make it upper class or else I kill you..HAHAHHA
Trujillo himself has haitian blood (Grandmother was haitian) so I really can't see the island divided by color unless you consider light skin and dark skin to be from different ethnic backgrounds. The only thing that separates the island in my opinion is language. Music crosses are boundaries and languages so I definitely think Dominican music has its influence and similarities with haitian Kompas