Anacaona (all-girl band)
Encyclopedia
Anacaona is the name of an all-girl orchestra, founded in 1930s Havana by Cuchito Castro and her sisters. Eventually, all 11 sisters joined the band. The band was formed during the Machado
era when the political situation led to university closings, forcing Cuchito Castro to abandon her studies and her plan to start a dental practice. Instead, she chose a different career in 1932 by proposing a female septet to challenge the male-dominated son music. At the time, it was believed women were not capable of playing son.
. Performing on the radio and also nightly in the aires libres, the open-air cafes, they soon found an enthusiastic audience. The members of the original 1932 septet were Isabel Alvarez, Berta Cabrera, Elia O'Reilly and the four Castro sisters–Ada, Bola, Cuchito and Ondina. With concerts in 1938 in New York and Paris, along with films in Mexico, Anacaona rose to international fame, but they faded into obscurity after the Cuban Revolution
.
Gerardo Machado
Gerardo Machado y Morales was President of Cuba and a general of the Cuban War of Independence...
era when the political situation led to university closings, forcing Cuchito Castro to abandon her studies and her plan to start a dental practice. Instead, she chose a different career in 1932 by proposing a female septet to challenge the male-dominated son music. At the time, it was believed women were not capable of playing son.
Aires libres
Cuchito's sisters and friends came together as a group, naming it after the Indian queen AnacaonaAnacaona
Anacaona , also called the Golden Flower, was a Taíno cacica , sister of Bohechío, chief of Jaragua, and wife of Caonabo, chief of the nearby territory of Maguana, two of the five highest caciques who ruled the island of Hispaniola when the Spaniards settled there in 1492...
. Performing on the radio and also nightly in the aires libres, the open-air cafes, they soon found an enthusiastic audience. The members of the original 1932 septet were Isabel Alvarez, Berta Cabrera, Elia O'Reilly and the four Castro sisters–Ada, Bola, Cuchito and Ondina. With concerts in 1938 in New York and Paris, along with films in Mexico, Anacaona rose to international fame, but they faded into obscurity after the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
.
Books
Alicia Castro's Queens of Havana: The Amazing Adventures of the Legendary Anacaona, Cuba's First All-Girl Dance Band (Grove Press, 2007) is a history of the band which concentrates on the band's early period. The British edition is titled Anacaona: The Adventures of Cuba's Most Famous All-Girl Orchestra.Revival
The band was reorganized in 1988. Five Castro sisters chose to leave the band, which is still active under the lead of Georgia and Doris Aguirre, the band's bassists.Albums
- ¡Ay! (Discmedi 1992)
- Como un Milagro (Bis music 1995)
- Lo que tù esperabas ... (Lusafrica 2000)
External links
- Times Online: "Listen to Anacaona".
- Queens of Havana on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Queens-Havana-Adventures-Anacaona-Legendary/dp/0802118569