congaplace.com

Posted: **Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:42 pm**

This Friday we did another yearly presentation of the my Percussion Ensemble at the Galveston Beach Festival,(International Club of Percussionists),with members of Houston,and Galveston students,with the feature of Mamadie,from Guinea,(Arara-Ewe).The feature presentation involved performing,African,Afrocuban,Brazilian,(Samba,Batucada),Yoruba,(without singing).and Caribbean,Rhythms.Also among other was the presentation of the Reggae band 'Shark Attack'. As always there was a goof response from the crowd,good food and beverages.Dr.Zaragemca

Edited By zaragemca on 1119718666

Posted: **Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:46 pm**

Hello Zara....How about some photos of you and your group or some music from your ensamble....I am still interested in your "style" of playing...I'm sure everyone here is very interested in your "xpertise".....en paz..."JC" Johnny Conga....

Posted: **Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:52 pm**

Greeting JC, I'm going to see who might have som pictures and music in the regard,Saludos.Dr.Zaragemca

Posted: **Sat Jun 25, 2005 5:02 pm**

Hello Zara...I have a question ...what are you a Doctor in and where did you get your degree?....paz..."JC" Johnny Conga...just curious....

Posted: **Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:42 pm**

It all started in Cuba were I was born been raised in a 'real rumberos' house,in Los Sitios,(which is something that not every congero had in their belt),since there are congeros which get in to music by connection,and later thruogh my ancestors and godfathers in to the Yorubas,Araras,Bantus,etc percussionists rounding the circle,(which is also a Very Special Blessing),there are some percussionists which are called master, but they never had that background.I kept doing research with the Cabildos,through many Carnivals,etc.By the time I decided to follow and play also Rock and Jazz in Cuba,my percussion background were giving me an egde in relation to the others drummers with started only with the school rudiments,so since I was in Cuba in the groups of drummers around me thet would consult me for sophisticated,or complex riffs from Rock,or Jazz drummers,( since in Cuba we didn't even had the benefit of a video,or a written nomenclature,or LP, to catch things,many times it was only the radio).So there were percussionists in Cuba dedicated to the Yoruba thing,other only to the Rumba,others to the Rock,others to Jazz,others to the traditional music,etc., I was carring everything,I didn't know that at that time by I was creating a monster percussionists inside me.( to be continued).Dr. Zaragemca

Edited By zaragemca on 1119913140

Posted: **Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:02 pm**

JohnnyConga wrote:Hello Zara....How about some photos of you and your group or some music from your ensamble....I am still interested in your "style" of playing...I'm sure everyone here is very interested in your "xpertise".....en paz..."JC" Johnny Conga....

Yes, I am too... Do you have a web site or anything, possibly something with sound clips so we can hear the style as well...

What type of festival is this? Is it all dedicated to music or just a fun excuse for people to get together and have a good time?

Paz, Ivan

Posted: **Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:30 pm**

Greeting Ivan,this Festival,is sponsored by Galveston Beach Patrol,and is celebrated every year,it is a Fund Raising Program,for the Junior Liveguard program,and International Programs,(Galveston provided training for Liveguarding in Mexico). But we had also participate in the Westheimer Festival,Houston International Festival,conducted presentation and clinics in Houston Univ.,Rise Univ.,A & M Univ.,Corporate Events and a lot of Clubs in Houston.Dr.Zaragemca

Edited By zaragemca on 1119976475

Posted: **Tue Jun 28, 2005 6:14 pm**

Dr.Zaragemca"
"......with the feature of Mamadie,from Guinea,(Arara-Ewe)"

me:
Sorry to have to say this, but you are mistaken about "Arara-Ewe", a term you have consistently used incorrectly. In fact, the correct term is "Fon-Ewe". Mamady Keita is a Malinke from Guinea. The Fon live in Benin. Their descendants in Cuba are called Arara and in Haiti they are called Rada. The Ewe live in Ghana, Togo and Benin. The Fon, Ewe and Yoruba all share cultural traditions, including some ancestral deities. In many books about African music the term "Fon-Ewe" is used, but never "Arara-Ewe". That's because "Arara" is a term specifically reserved for Fon culture transplanted to the New World.

The djembe is the drum of the Malinke, not the Fon or Ewe. I've played Ewe drums since 1977 and played djembe for several years as well. However, you don’t need experience in these drumming systems to understand the difference between Malinke, Fon and Ewe. If you look at a map of Africa, you will see that Guinea is a long way from Ghana.

-Dr. David
:;):

Posted: **Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:58 pm**

Greeting David, for what you are talking I could see that you read that stuff somewhere and doesn't know the culture in reality.The Arara culture was developed since the time of the Rome-Empire and was coveting all the coast of West-Africa from Guinea, to what is now Cameroom.The names,Ghana,Togo, didn't existed at that time,(it was created after the subdivision of Africa by the west-invasion).Benin is one of the originally Yoruba city which was called also Dahomey,( when other Tribes started settling there becouse the trade.Secondly the name 'Fon' is not related to Benin,but to the Ashantees,which occupied the place around where today stand Ghana,(which was called,Gold Coast by the Portuguese).Did you remember which was the name of the Arara before becoming Ewe?, do you know a major incident which happened to the Ashantees?.Come with the answers. Dr.Zaragemca

Edited By zaragemca on 1119998837

Posted: **Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:11 pm**

.This is the way that the Guinean Empire was show,before the subdivision of that part of Africa.Dr.Zaragemca

Edited By zaragemca on 1120000366

Posted: **Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:10 am**

Posted: **Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:58 am**

Dear Dr. Z,
It is interesting that you are bolstering your case about African history in the era before colonial European designations by supplying us with an early European map with what is perhaps the EARLIEST and most FLAGRANT European COLONIAL designation, "Guinea." This misleading catchword was employed at times by Europeans to designate both a huge area of West Africa and to designate at times the entire African continent as well. It is NOT evidence of any SINGLE African polity but only adds to the confusion of your increasingly bizarre posts.

Saludos,

Berimbau

Posted: **Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:22 am**

Hi Folks,
I recommend to anyone interested in the various African ethnic groups that came to the New World, their original geographical locations in West Africa and related topics to do a "Google" search with the words "Fon", "Ewe", "Arara", "Malinke", etc. You don't have to take the word of anyone in this forum. The world-wide-web is amazing and will at the very least corroborate the basic facts.

Dr. Clave

(I'm not a real doctor, but I play one on the internet) :p

Posted: **Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:14 am**

davidpenalosa wrote:Dr. Clave

(I'm not a real doctor, but I play one on the internet) :p

:D

Can I be Professor?

Regards,

Professor Abakua. :cool:

Posted: **Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:09 am**

G'day Mates,

This December I will be travelling to Guinea to study with Mamady Keita and I will investigate his heritage! Currently I am playing in a group with an Ewe Dancer and he is from Ghana check us at http://www.waada.com, he is the dude with the dreads!
I am gettin a bit messed up here with geographical nonsense.
Just let your hands speak! I would love to hear some sound files from any doctor or "nutty" professor! No offence, Abakua, you are makin a whole lot of sense out there and I have heard your sound first hand, respect!

Peace and Happy Drumming

Edited By steady freddy on 1120058656

congaplace.com

Galveston Beach Fstival