Mexico City, Nov 16 (Prensa Latina) Musician Ethiel Failde mentioned the progress made today in Cuba for the cultural practice of danzón to be recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and thanked Mexico for embracing this genre born on the island.
“As Cubans, we have that right, because the danzón originated in Cuba, because since 2013 it has been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the nation, and we are working with a good team from Matanzas and from all over the country to prepare this dossier, which is already making progress,” he told Prensa Latina.
After participating in a discussion at the Museum of Mexico City, the great-great-grandson of Miguel Failde, creator of the rhythm in the 19th century, commented on the awareness workshops carried out in the largest of the Antilles.
“These activities will continue because this process of raising awareness among people about what cultural practice is, of feeling like a community that carries this cultural practice, is important so that everyone understands their role and their part in what we are achieving,” he explained.
When discussing how deeply rooted this rhythm is in Mexico, Failde expressed his pride, as it demonstrates, in his opinion, that a genre created in Cuba “has traveled the world and has come to conquer hearts.”
“It’s great that people know he’s Cuban, and that he hasn’t lost his essence. I’m very grateful to the Mexicans who have embraced him. Here in Mexico, he has his own repertoire and style, without ignoring that it’s a cultural practice” born in Matanzas, he noted.
Furthermore, the director of the Failde Orchestra expressed his satisfaction that Mexico City recognizes the genre as heritage, as it is something that has been inherited from generation to generation and the city is one of the places where these pieces are most danced and played.
“Thank you to Mexico for embracing our very Cuban danzón and for allowing many more people to discover it, fall in love with it, and experience it,” said the young flautist, who shared experiences in the country, such as seeing people dancing to that rhythm in a subway station.
Although he highlighted this North American nation as the “second most important focus in the world”, he also mentioned other territories, such as Colombia, Puerto Rico and the United States, where the genre is also heard.
This afternoon, the Failde Orchestra, along with the Mexican groups Acerina and La Playa, will provide entertainment for the Grand Danzón Dance in the emblematic Zócalo, a special event leading up to the declaration of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the city, promoted by the capital’s Ministry of Culture.
Organizers expect hundreds of couples from the 16 municipalities and the interior of the country to join together to celebrate this rhythm in a massive choreography.
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