“Choncholí se va pa’l monte -- Cógelo que se va”
(“The blackbird is heading for the hills--
catch him! He’s getting away”)
This site explores the story, performance and significance of this coro or refrain which dates back to 19th century Cuba; the site works best if its pages or “Chapters” are viewed sequential order.
About the author, Nick Herman:
I am a percussionist, teacher and researcher based in New York City, currently enrolled in the Masters in Liberal Studies program at CUNY Graduate Center. When I began studying Afro-Cuban percussion in the early 1990s, I quickly learned that the island’s music often refers to its history. In my quest to learn to play conga, the signature rhythm of Santiago de Cuba’s carnival, I became increasingly aware of this carnival’s deep connection to the island's struggle for Independence. The story of “Choncholí” is one of many that link Santiago's comparsas (carnival troupes) and their associated cabildos de nación (Black mutual aid societies organized by ethnicity) to the birth of the Cuban nation.
About the author, Nick Herman:
I am a percussionist, teacher and researcher based in New York City, currently enrolled in the Masters in Liberal Studies program at CUNY Graduate Center. When I began studying Afro-Cuban percussion in the early 1990s, I quickly learned that the island’s music often refers to its history. In my quest to learn to play conga, the signature rhythm of Santiago de Cuba’s carnival, I became increasingly aware of this carnival’s deep connection to the island's struggle for Independence. The story of “Choncholí” is one of many that link Santiago's comparsas (carnival troupes) and their associated cabildos de nación (Black mutual aid societies organized by ethnicity) to the birth of the Cuban nation.
