The late Puerto Rican song writer, Tito Curet Alonso, composer of about 2000 salsa songs, gave us some memorable songs. Here the late Puerto Rican Sonero Mayor, Ismael Rivera sings one of Curet’s most beautiful and inspiring song : Las Caras Lindas de mi Gente Negra – The Beautiful Faces of my Black people. Mr. Rivera in this song talks about how proud he is of his black race. He says that black people are sweet as pure molasses. Ismael Rivera often visited Portobelo, Panama, home of the Black Christ of Portobelo and in this song he mentions how beautiful the black people of Portobelo are.
The legendary Cuban singer, Cela Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, adds her rendition of Las Caras Lindas de mi Gente Negra.
Un cordial saludo a todos,
Ana
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asabanga..Thanks for this. I went to Portobelo when I lived in Panama 20 or so years ago. It was the first time, in my then, 30-something years of living – having grown up in Black, Christian (Baptist, then Catholic, then back to Baptist) America – that I’d ever seen a Black Christ revered by worshippers with the same face. Definitely a lesson in how Black, cultural perspectives are marginalized or totally erased by whitewashing.
Thanks Ana for this…Sol music does something to my Soul.
@Asa, to witness such for the first time does something to one’s mind. I know the first time I saw this, I was in my 20’s and in a way it just turned somthing over inside me. I, also coming from a Baptist background, was affected in a way similar to your experience.
Peace!
Amenta, You are welcome.
Deb:
God is universal . But I have noticed that our religiosity and spirituality tend to be deeply influenced by our history,culture and also by our personal life journey .
When the statue of a Black Christ showed up on the coastal town of Portobelo in the 18th centuty, the people embraced it because Portobelo was a haven for pirates, runaway slaves, angry indigenous people and unscrupulous Spaniards who took that route on their way out of the Americas to Spain with all the stolen wealth of the Incas.
The English pirate Francis Drake died fighting right off the shores of Portobelo. His body was never recovered.
The majority black people of Portobelo saw peace and love in this figure that looked just like them.
They saw the Black Christ as a gift from God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJavKjFGems
Ana..“Deb: God is universal “ Seeing as I’m in a crisis of faith (one in which I’ve been stuck for the past few years) – all I can say to that part of your comment right now, is, “That’s what I’m told.”
That being said, all I can say to your “I have noticed that our religiosity and spirituality tend to be deeply influenced by our history,culture and also by our personal life journey.” – is, that was the point of my comment.
Being a Black American, of parents who were conditioned to believe that the white way was always right (as in, our salvation) our existence never lent itself to either historical or cultural diversity of any kind – and it still doesn’t.
“The majority black people of Portobelo saw peace and love in this figure that looked just like them. They saw the Black Christ as a gift from God.”
As Amenta said, my seeing it in my 30s – “…just turned somthing over inside me.” – and I’m certain, the majority of Black people in America would have benefitted greatly from that same experience. Instead, we revered Martin and Malcolm (and riightfully so) “because they looked just like us” and were speaking truth to power “for us” – while we, to this day, still waited for our “gift.” Just sayin…
Ismael Rivera loved the Black Christ so much that while he was alive, every year he made a pilgrimage to Portobelo. Mr. Rivera dedicated the song, El Nazareno to the Black Christ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nor-hmMS5Eg
And this is Ismael Rivera’s funeral in Puerto Rico; Mi negro lindo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI0meHg8eDo
Ana…forgot to say, thanks for the link to the procession. That was the unbelievable and unforgettable moment that was burned into my memory during my visit to Portobelo.
As a Black American, I was so grateful that my sons – then 10 & 7 (now 30 & 27) – were able to witness it with me – and they still remember it to this day! I know they do, because I asked them today, when they came over for our weekly, Sunday dinner and I showed them this post! Appreciate you for helping me with that memory!
Deb, You are welcome.