GREENFIELD — Monday, Sept. 15, marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. To celebrate, Four Rivers Charter Public School students learned how to dance the Puerto Rican style of bomba with help from Holyoke-based band Bomba de Aquí.
Bomba was developed in the 17th century by African slaves who were brought to the island, and was continued by their descendants, according to Brendalíz Cepeda, the band’s director and lead dancer.
“Bomba is a folklore music. It’s a tradition that comes from Puerto Rico,” Cepeda said. “And not only is this music beautiful, but it comes from our ancestors, from Africa.”
She said the music had served as a sort of rebellion for the island’s slaves.
“All we wanted to do was be free, and dancing bomba was a representation of that desire for freedom,” Cepeda said.
She said the songs can be about any topic, from politics to love stories, as long as they follow one of the different bomba rhythm patterns. She added that bomba is a unique music genre, where the dancer influences the rhythm of the drums rather than the drums setting the beat for the dancer.
Spanish teacher Lea Chiara said teaching students about culture is not only good for their education and understanding of the Spanish-speaking world, but it also helps promote inclusivity and open-mindedness, which is a key part of the school’s mission.
“We aim to be an inclusive school community, and our dream here is that we are also an inclusive world community,” Chiara said. “It’s really important for these kids to see living examples of culture. It’s important for them to see it represented right in front of them and to engage and be able to ask questions about it.”
Chiara said the school has been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month for years by inviting a member of the Hispanic or Latin community to present something from their culture to the students. The national observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week, and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period.
She said the students will be participating in other activities in class throughout the month to learn about and celebrate other elements of Hispanic and Latino heritage, but to kick off the month’s festivities, they welcomed Bomba de Aquí.
Cepeda invited students to join her in dancing, and taught the basic steps of moving feet back and forth while swinging arms and flourishing a billowy skirt or scarf.
Cepeda said she grew up in the Bronx, and listening and dancing to bomba was a way to reconnect with her culture. Following a career as a teacher, she dove into bomba. With Bomba de Aquí, she travels and performs at schools, colleges, churches and other community events across New England, teaching about Afro-Puerto Rican culture.
“It’s important to know where you come from, your culture, your traditions,” Cepeda said. “Academics are important, but knowing where you come from is a representation of who you are.”
She encouraged the students to spend time learning about their own heritage and culture.
“Find out where you come from. Find out your culture,” Cepeda told the students.
