Cuba Calabar Radio

Dr. Miller discusses Afro-Cuban culture, Abakuá, Èkpé and the environmental impact on the forests of Cross River Cultures in Nigeria and Cameroon. Features Music by Victor Herrera, Arsenio Rodriguez, Enyenison Enkama, Celia Cruz and  music from the archives of  distinguished folklorist  and author Lydia Cabrera.

Thanks to all those folks who have been tuning in to the blog and our podcasts. I am now compiling transcripts of these transmissions for those who are interested please email me at ndiboyevengo@gmail.com. In this weeks podcast Ene Ita and Chief Dr. Ivor Miller talk about the shared traditions of Cuba and Calabar through Ékpé and Abakuá culture. Cubas Abakuá music has maintained the Ékpé tradition of the  epic poem, a tradition that has enabled Cuban Abakuá to maintain the memory of their ancestors alive in song. They also used it to survive  the repression of a colonial government looking to strip them of their cultural identity, recording history in the hearts and minds of Abakuá members for generations to come and for our enjoyment in the 21st century nearly 200 years since the first consecration took place in Regla;Havana, Cuba.

Chief Dr. Ivor Miller is a Fulbright scholar in Calabar, researching Ekpé culture and exploring the links between Ekpé and Abakuá culture from Cuba.

The podcast features two of Cubas legendary Sextetos. Sexteto Occidente and Sexteto Habanero. The latter is the only existing Cuban sexteto. We end the podcast with another Ignacio Piñeiro composition ushering in the  era of the Septeto with his Septeto Nacional. Los Cantares del Abakua Criolla Carabali En La Alta Sociedad Efi Embemoro

Arsenio Rodriguez is one of Cubas most important composers. He was famous for  many innovations in Cuban music such as the montuno section of the son and the Conjunto format, but most importantly for his way of incorporating  afro-cuban folkoric music traditions especially Congo and Carabali into his music.

Saturday Sept. 5th saw the release of a landmark recording by the group Enyenison Enkama headed by Roman Diaz, Angel Guerrero, and Pedro Martinez inspired by the dedication and scholarship of Dr Ivor Miller(African Studies Center,Boston). Today we share this work with all Ekpe and Abakua brethren as with all fans of African music and music of the diaspora around the globe. In our next podcast we will be featuring tracks from Calabar. Ekpe music from the 70's and early 80's. Please be sure to subscribe to this podcast to receive our latest updates and the best Ekpe and Abakua music from the vaults of Cuba Calabar Radio!!

This is a collection of  9 songs cited in Dr. Ivor Millers latest publication The Voice of The Leopard. I hope you will enjoy this latest stream and continue to grace us with your comments and feedback. We would really like to hear from all of you.

Music from Abakua traditions and examples of Abakuá culture in Cuban popular/contemporary music. Ekpe traditions expressed in the music of Calabar, Nigeria and Cameroon.