Música de Gagá/Gaga Music traditionally comes from the festival of the same name. This is what I have found out about this festival and the music. I wish I understood more of what this festival entails to share here. As I find more information on this music and festival I will share. Janette
The festival of Gagá (gagá in Creole means idiot) is a celebration of dance and music.This festival, since it is celebrated in the Spring at the beginning of lent and ending on Good Friday, is a festival based on reincarnation. It is to commemorate the fertilization of the earth/ tierra and is a vibrant Spring celebration. With the hope that the forces or mysteries/ misterios will begin again and life will emerge from the fields and things dead. Among the things celebrated in this ritual are sacrifice, protection, baptism, blessing and purification There is a complex hierarchy involved in these rituals. There is a cleansing and a giving of ones self for a designated time so they can be involved it the dancing and the inner circle activities.
Gagá has been practiced in Dominican Republic for a long time. Many generations back the Haitians, who call their festival Ra-Rá, brought it to Dominican side of the island when they came to work in the sugar cane fields, known as bateyes, with their families. It is said to have originated from the celebration of vudú. Now, since it has been practiced by the Dominican people, it has become part of their culture and has since become known as Dominican Gagá.
The celebration are held throughout the Bateyes/ Sugar Cane Fields in San Pedro de Macorís. Preparation for the festivities start the day before in each small town. The spot where the music will be performed, called Enramadas, is decorated by the ladies. Early the next day everyone dresses in vibrant colors. The women, called the brides, dress in very elaborate skirts made out of multi colored pieces of cloth. The men tie long, colorful pieces of cloth around their waists and wear hats of many vivid colors.
The Godparents/ Padrinos of the festival are the ones that pay for the festivities. Both the men and women dresses in their brightly colored outfits, dance infront of the chosen padrinos home. Led by the Folk singer/ Duluc they dance in circles along with a person twirling two weighted batons twirling them in ceremonial gestures. In the absence of this twirler there are machetes and flags juggled. When the dance ends the godmother or father comes out and joins in the dance. They place a donation in the red satin covered wooden box of money, rum, food or whatever other goodies they want to donate.
These traveling bands, each led by a group of musicians, use a very unique set of instruments many of which originated in Africa. Long bamboo tubes, about 4 feet long, with leather mouthpieces fixed over one end require tremendous wind to blow. These produce haunting bass notes. There is a sort of trumpet/ trompeta type instrument called a tua-tuá. They are made our of tin and formed in a horn shape This instrument can only play one tone. Yet a good player can make a variation of tones come from this simple yet symphonic sounding instrument. Drums are used. Also used for the music is the traditional metal maraca called cha-chá. A traditional African stringed instrument called the Gayumba. Also a whistle is used, these are used as signals to the musicians and to tell the dancing order.
Each small town has its own festival. When the traveling musicians finish they meet, along with all the people that have joined them, in the nearest sugar cane field. Then the band or people travel on to meet up with the next group. This traveling party does this for 3 days, with each town the group gets larger and larger. It is a great party of singing, dancing and enjoying the fellowship or your neighbors.
