Callejón de Hamel in Havana

Callejón de Hamel in Havana
Originally uploaded by Dónde Está Gina?.

Flickering through flickr, I came across this image of the Hamel district in Havana, Cuba. It takes me back to when Bibi and I met up in Cuba in 1999 after 3 months absence (she coming from Jamaica where she was researching on Dancehall), me coming from the grey cold of London.

We met at the airport, and were driven in a 1950's chevvy with proudly upholstered bench seats. We wandered the city the day after and came across Hamel. There was a crowd gathered just near where this picture was taken, rhythms floating furiously on the air. Rumba was in full effect. I was mesmerised by the playful, erotic dancing. Moments later, the female dancer lured me into the circle. Perhaps two hundred cubanos roared me on. It was too late to back out. I gave her a rumbero imaginary kick and the crowd roared with approval. At that moment, the espirito de rumba entered my being..

Later, we get to know the dancer with the magical hips, Adeisy, and her dancing partner Jonny Nike. We also met the Hamel Babalawo, Omo Ogun (a huge cuban cigar permanently lodged in his mouth). After Bibi left, I found myself drinking moonshine rum with the local rumberos in an abandonned half-built house off of Crespo. The rumberos regard themselves as more Nigerian than Nigerians. Their music is full of incantations in Yoruba - even though they do not understand the language.

All this reminds me of the great project ahead: of mapping Yoruba culture as it permeated (and still permeates) the New World. Only last week I met someone from Trinidad who informs me that Yoruba (as Condomble) is becoming the unofficial religion of all Brazil (not just Bahians). Ah - there is so much work ahead!