Yuka (music)

Yuka is a secular Afro-Cuban musical tradition which involves drumming, singing and dancing. It was developed in western Cuba by Kongo slaves during colonial times. Yuka predates other Afro-Cuban

Drumming#

The Bantu word yuka means “to beat” and is also used to refer to the drums used in yuka performances. According to Fernando Ortiz, yuka drums were known in the Kongo language as ngóma bobóla mámbu, where ngóma means “drum”, bobóla “deep sound” and mámbu “collective business”. These drums are made from hollowed-out trunks of the avocado tree. Leather is nailed to one of the open ends, and the player hits the skin with both hands, the drum being slanted between his legs. The drums come in three sizes: *caja, the largest and lowest-pitched yuka drum; *mula, medium sized; *cachimbo, the smallest and highest-pitched drum, it is also known as tumba, tumbador, llamador or tahona. The yuka accompanied by this guataca bell plays a variation of the commonly used tresillo pattern.

Singing#

Like most Afro-Cuban music, yuka singing is based on call and response. Songs have a simple structure and sung phrases are generally short. There is a main motif over which singers are allowed to improvise.

Dance#

The secular dance is performed by a couple as a stylised contest: the man chases, the woman avoids. The origin of the yuka lies in western Cuba, particularly Matanzas and Pinar del Río, where it gave rise to the yambú style of rumba. There are several dance moves in yuka that are not found in rumba, such as ronquido (side steps) and campanero (figure eight).

Genre family: Cuban styles of music