Historia General del Pueblo Dominicano Tomo VI

750 Popular Music and Identity since the Nineteenth Century the rhythms are African, period. Of course there are these influences, which are melodic: the melodies are European, the harmony, just like in jazz. 115 Guerra demonstrated an interest in Afro-Dominican ritual drumming; while he did not use it in his arrangements, he often referred to it in lyrics. His song « Guavaberry» speaks of the regional customs of cocolos, the Dominicans of Anglophone Caribbean descent who reside in and around the city of San Pedro de Macorís. With their dark skin and non-Hispanic roots, cocolos had remained on the margins of Dominicanness ever since their arrival in the country in the nineteenth century. Guerra’s song pays homage to the cocolo guavaberry beverage and music, celebrating the truly Caribbean , versus Hispanic, nature of Dominicanness. The cocolos’ Anglophone background is reflected the song’s bilingual, Spanish and English, text: Guavaberry I like to live in the streets of San Pedro de Macorís I like to sing my song in the middle of Malecón [repeat]. Drinking my guavaberry, watching the sun go down, Woman, that’s all I need, in San Pedro de Macorís. Quiero vivir junto a ti en San Pedro de Macorís. Quiero bailar mi canción en el medio del Malecón. Bebiendo guavaberry al ritmo de un tambor o, bailando feliz, en San Pedro de Macorís. ¡Cocolo de San Pedro! Guerra also expressed perspectives the relationship between Dominican and African cultures in both the music and the video produced to promote his hit, « A pedir su mano». This piece combines a melody taken from a Central African popular song, vocal arrangements marked by South African inflection, and merengue rhythms. The video juxtaposes African and Afro-Dominican images, beginning with a black Dominican man looking at pseudo- African masks in a museum. It then moves to scenes of gagá and guloya music, implying that while African-based arts can be admired in museums, they are better appreciated in their guises as living Dominican