Villa Mella, Dominican Republic
Encyclopedia
Villa Mella, or San Felipe de Villa Mella, is a municipality in Santo Domingo Norte
. Villa Mella is located north of the Isabela River
, about 6 miles (or 10 kilometers) to the north of the center of Santo Domingo, and is considered an additional neighborhood of the capital. This sector is considered one of the economically stable areas in the Santo Domingo metropolitan area. It is also home to the musical organization known as the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa Mella, recognized in 2001 by UNESCO
.
, and at funerals.
The Espíritu Santo
or Holy Spirit
is considered the patron of the area (which originally developed from bateyes
in what was formerly known as Sabana Grande del Espíritu Santo), and is syncretized with Kalunga
, which represents both the god of the dead and the gateway to the world of the ancestors in some traditional religions of the West African Congo region.
The Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit was proclaimed a UNESCO
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001. In 2006, the Dominican government's Secretariat of Culture and the Museo del Hombre Dominicano, under the auspices of UNESCO, adopted a "Plan of Action" to protect and preserve the Cultural Space of the Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit of Villa Mella.
Carlos Hernández Soto, an anthropologist and the director of the Museo del Hombre Dominicano, has written a study on the Congos, entitled, Kalunga Eh! Los Congos de Villa Mella, Matías Ramón Mella: Editorial Letra Grafica, 2004.
Paul Austerlitz, in his study, Merengue: Dominican Music and Dominican Identity (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1997), remarks on pri-prí (or merengue
palo echao), an accordion dance music particular to Villa Mella that serves as a "secular component of religious festivals" in Villa Mella.
Santo Domingo Norte
Santo Domingo Norte is a municipality of the Santo Domingo Province in the Dominican Republic. There is one municipal district within the municipality: La Victoria....
. Villa Mella is located north of the Isabela River
Isabela River
-References:* The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000.**...
, about 6 miles (or 10 kilometers) to the north of the center of Santo Domingo, and is considered an additional neighborhood of the capital. This sector is considered one of the economically stable areas in the Santo Domingo metropolitan area. It is also home to the musical organization known as the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa Mella, recognized in 2001 by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
UNESCO recognition
Villa Mella is known for its retention and preservation of African cultural roots and heritage. One of the strongest manifestations of this can be found in the local, 300-year-old cofradía (brotherhood or voluntary association) of the Congos of Espíritu Santo. The Congos perform African-derived drum-centered music, primarily during traditional religious feast days, such as during PentecostPentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
, and at funerals.
The Espíritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
or Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
is considered the patron of the area (which originally developed from bateyes
Batey (game)
batey was the name given to a special plaza around which the native Caribbean Taino Indians built their settlements. It was usually a rectangular area surrounded by stones with carved symbols known as petroglyphs....
in what was formerly known as Sabana Grande del Espíritu Santo), and is syncretized with Kalunga
Kalunga
The Kalungas are descendants of run-away slaves who lived in remote settlements in northeastern Goiás state, Brazil. Most of the 4,000 Kalungas, who are of mixed race, black and native Indian, live in very poor conditions in near the town of Cavalcante, Goiás.All of the area occupied by the...
, which represents both the god of the dead and the gateway to the world of the ancestors in some traditional religions of the West African Congo region.
The Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit was proclaimed a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001. In 2006, the Dominican government's Secretariat of Culture and the Museo del Hombre Dominicano, under the auspices of UNESCO, adopted a "Plan of Action" to protect and preserve the Cultural Space of the Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit of Villa Mella.
Carlos Hernández Soto, an anthropologist and the director of the Museo del Hombre Dominicano, has written a study on the Congos, entitled, Kalunga Eh! Los Congos de Villa Mella, Matías Ramón Mella: Editorial Letra Grafica, 2004.
Paul Austerlitz, in his study, Merengue: Dominican Music and Dominican Identity (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1997), remarks on pri-prí (or merengue
Merengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
palo echao), an accordion dance music particular to Villa Mella that serves as a "secular component of religious festivals" in Villa Mella.
Notable residents
- Sixto Minier
- Pío Brazobán
- Neífi PérezNeifi PérezNeifi Neftali Pérez is a Major League baseball player who most recently played for the Detroit Tigers. He played with the Colorado Rockies , Kansas City Royals , San Francisco Giants , and the Chicago Cubs...
- Rubby PérezRubby PerezRubby Perez is a singer born in the Dominican Republic, better known as " La voz mas alta del merengue" or "The highest voice in merengue." He has had two hits on Billboard's charts...
- Wason Brazoban
- Ada de la CruzAda de la CruzAda Aimée de la Cruz Ramirez is Miss Dominican Republic 2009 and Miss Universe 2009 first runner-up.-Biography:...
- Maria Santana Cruz