Merengue

MerengueBy Jorge MunozAdriana BorrayoMassiel RodriguezSean MerrickJonathan BoardmanSam Haller

Trujillo modified merengue to make it more appealing to higher class peopleRemoved the accordionMade the bands more orchestral to appeal to higher class

Whitening of Merengue

Trujillo took the reigns of merengue in the 1930s throught the 50sUsed as Propoganda and national unifier.

Whitening of Merengue

During the War of Independence (1844) at the Battle of TalanqueraDominican soldier Tomas Torres fled the battleFirst Merengue created to mock Tomas stupidityOrigins of Merengue

Toma juyo con la banderaToma juyo de la TelanqueraSi juera yo, yo no juyera,Toma juyo con la bandera

Thomas fled with the flagThomas fled from TalanqueraIf it had been I, I wouldnt have fledThomas fled with the flag

First MerengueTook root in Cibao region. Area around Santiago N. Valley of Domincian RepublicRural and agricultural working class

Roots of Merengue

CibaoEuropeGuitarsGermanyAccordiansAfricaPercussion includingTambora-2 headed drumGuira-metal scraperMarimba-wooden box w/6 or 8 metal tongsInstrumentsInstruments

Guira

TamboraMarimba

Played at family parties, community gatherings, fiestas, recreational events such as cock fights.Themes including social and political commentary romantic love, double entendre, topics, and everyday struggles of the working class

Merengue Played

Dances to merengue were very provocative Danced to in brothels and other clubsDespised by upper class because of suggestive dancing and lyricsMerengue danced

Merengue as a Resistance Movement

By the beginning of the 20th century Merengue had been rejected by the elite ballrooms.The military occupation in 1916 was authorized. It lasted until 1924.

Merengue was given preference in the dancehalls over foreign genres as a mode of resistance and an act of nationalism (Davis 1994: 137).

The Dominican elite embraced Merengue Cibaeo, a form they had earlier reviled, as a national symbol and a means to celebrate Dominican-ness.

Merengue was utilized as part of a strategy of noncooperation with the United States (Austerlitz p. 43)

- ico Lora functioned as the voice of the people during the occupation.- La protesta the song celebrates both the guerrilla war waged against the marines, and the diplomatic protests of the Cibao region.

Francisco Antonio ico LoraThe father of Merengue

MacheteLa Protesta -Francisco Antonio ico Lora En el ano diez y seisThe Americans cameLlegan los americanos, In 1916,Pisoteando con sus botas,Trampling Dominican soil El suelo domincano.With their boots.Francisco Henriquez CarvajalDefending the flag, Defendiendo la bandera,Francisco Henriquez y CarvajalDijo, No pueden mandarProclaimed that Yankees los yanquis en nuestra tierra!Cannot rule our land!

El americano, como seWell attack them with machetes, well make entromete (repite)them leave [repeat];Los haremos ir, dandoleThe Americans, the intruders [repeat].machete (repite).Los haremos ir, con fuerza yWith power and courage, well make them valor (repite)leave [repeat];El americano, por abusador (repite)The Americans, the abusers [repeat].

The Trujillo Era

Rafael Leonidas Trujillo MolinaOctober 24, 1891 May 30, 1961

Vintage Postcard from some time between 1930 and 1960. The postcard reads: Merengue, world famous Dominican dance, Spanish patio, Hotel Paz, Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic. These dancers of the famous Folklore Dance Group perform in many of the capital's tourist spots including the hotels and nightclubs.Rafael Trujillos utilized Merengue as a national unifier. By the end of the 1920s, Merengue was poised to play an influential role in national politics (Austerlitz p. 51).Trujillo named streets after family members, renamed the capital after himself, and even dedicated a mountain to his power.

Trujillo Peak

Trujillo used Merengue to manipulate public opinion.

Trujillo transformed Regional Music (Merengue Cibaeo) into a state symbol. By insinuating self-promotional and patriotic propaganda into merengue music, Trujillos iron will thus transformed a regional music, merengue cabana, into a state symbol recognized throughout the county by all Dominican social classes.

Luis Alberti-the first Dominican band leader to add the traditional guira tambora and accordion to the jazz band ensemble.Trujillo financially supported Alberti to have his personal orquesta (dance band).Alberti completely eliminated the accordion, which transformed merengue completely into merengue orquesta.

The vast majority of the Dominican population was rural, the populous as a whole approved of the music and Trujillo forcing the upper class to dance.

The Dominican Elites did not accept the music at first, but Trujillo forced it on them so eventually they gave in and accepted it.

Trujillo encouraged composers through cash or threats to write songs praising him.

Hombre sin igual Man without equalQue viva Trujillo Long live TrujilloNuestro general Our generalTrujillo que viva Long live TrujilloGeneral estrella Stellar generalEso digo yo Thats what I sayTrujillo en la tierra On earth, TrujilloY en el cielo Dios And in heaven, God

Que Viva Trujilloby Luis AlbertiTrujillo used merengue to strengthen his political and economical programs.

Caa Brava by Caa Brava

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI5cnkjnsmU&feature=related Trujillo manipulated mass media: TV, radio, etc. Limiting Dominicans to listening to merengue.Listening to the same music gave an illusion of unity in the Dominican Republic as a whole.As a result, other types of music were blocked from coming into the country.

The containment of merengue within the Dominican republic also resulted in different types of merengue developing internationally.

An example is Proyecto Unos, El Tiburon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgHfT4_IniU