Rafael Cepeda Atiles a.k.a. "The Patriarch of the Bomba and Plena" (July 10, 1910 – July 21, 1996) was the patriarch of the Cepeda family, known internationally as the exponents of Afro-Puerto Rican folk music.

Early years

Cepeda was born in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...

, to Modesto Cepeda and Leonor Atiles. Cepeda was born into a family who have passed the traditional dances of the Bomba and Plena

Music of Puerto Rico

The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe...

 from generation to generation. The Bomba is a music, rhythm and dance that was brought to Puerto Rico by the West African slaves. The Plena is another form of folkloric music of Puerto Rico of African origin. According to Cepeda, he was born while his mother Leonor was in the middle of a Bomba dance. He attended San Augustin Catholic School until the 8th grade in San Juan. After Cepeda finished 8th grade he took up amateur boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 and worked as a carpenter. During his free time he continued to practice dancing the Bomba and Plena.

Grupo Folklorico Trapiche

In 1932, Cepeda married Caridad Brenes Caballero, a Bomba and Plena dancer. Together they had ten children. Cepeda decided to form a folkloric dance group with the help of his wife Caridad who would be the groups choreographer and the designer of the traditional costumes. In 1940, his first group, called "ABC", made their artistic debut in the local radio show of Rafael Quiñones Vidal "Tribuna del Arte" (Art Tribune).

In 1957, Cepeda formed a second folkloric group which he called "Grupo Folklorico Trapiche". This group held shows in all of the major hotels of the island and participated in the following three movies: "Carnaval en Puerto Rico" (1961) (Carnival in Puerto Rico), "Felicia" (1963) and "Mientras Puerto Rico duerme" (1964) (While Puerto Rico sleeps). In 1973, members of the family which included his children, formed the "Ballet Folklorico de la familia Cepeda" (The Folkloric Ballet of the Cepeda Family). This new group gained international fame and participated in the 1975 film "Mi Aventura en Puerto Rico" (My Adventure in Puerto Rico). The group which became a Puerto Rican institution, has made presentations in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, South

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 and Central America

Central America

Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

, Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

. The Government of Puerto Rico

Government of Puerto Rico

The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution...

 named Cepeda "The Patriarch of the Bomba and Plena" in recognition of his contributions to the islands African musical culture.

Recordings

Cepeda wrote and recorded over 500 pieces. Among those are the following:

• "El Bombon de Elena"
• "A Bailar Bambule"
• "Madam Calalú"
• "Mofongo Pelaó"
• "Habla Cuembé"
• "A la Verdegué"
• "Juan José"
• "Santígualo"
• "Bambulaé seá Allá"
• "Mi Goleta"
• "Mi Caela"
• "El Chivo"
• "Sobina Santos"
• "En Prueba de su Amistad"
• "Guaguaracengo"
• "La Negra Toto"
• "Vira Más"
• "Cuando el Negro se Alzó"
• "Lero de mi Lero"
• "Conde Kirico"
• "Candelario Alomar"
• "Ana Celía"
• "Anaízo"
• "Candela"
• "Zumbador"

Awards and recognitions

Among the many awards and recognitions bestowed upon Rafael Cepeda are the following:

• 1983, The National Endowment for the Arts of the Smithsonian Institution
  Smithsonian Institution
  The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
  
  , in Washington, DC, awarded Cepeda with the National Heritage Fellowship Award.
• Certificate of recognition from the then President of the United States
  President of the United States
  The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
  
   Ronald Reagan
  Ronald Reagan
  Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
  
  .

Later years

In 1977, Modesto Cepeda, son of Rafael, founded the Rafael Cepeda Atiles School of Bomba and Plena. The school teaches the youth of Puerto Rico the fundamentals of the traditional dances. Cepeda's wife Caridad died on February 25, 1994. Rafael Cepeda died from a heart attack

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...

 on July 21, 1996 in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico

Carolina, Puerto Rico

Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...

. He was buried with his wife in the Cemetery of Villas Palmeras which now bears his name.

Legacy

Jesus Manuel Cepeda, son of Rafael founded the Cultural Folkloric Foundation Rafael Cepeda {Fundacion Folklorica Cultural Rafael Cepeda}. In 1997, the family inaugurated The House Museum Rafael Cepeda. In his honor the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture established the Rafael Cepeda Festival of Bomba and Plena which is annually celebrated in San Juan.

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• Music of Puerto Rico
  Music of Puerto Rico
  The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe...
  
  

External links

• Don Rafael Cepeda Atiles
• Escuela de Bomba y Plena de Puerto Rico Rafael Cepeda Atiles
• Fundacion Folklorico Cultural Rafael Cepeda
• Fundacion Rafael Cepeda / Facebook