Published
L’Art De Pleurer Les Ancêtres A San Basilio De Palenque
“The Art of Mourning the Ancestors in San Basilio de Palenque.” This is the first recording by Las Alegres Ambulancias, the women mourners of Palenque: legendary rum drinkers who sing at funeral vigils and honour the memory of the ancestors. Without them there can be no proper burial. Their deep, sorrowful voices fill the Colombian bush with echoes of the Africa from which came the laments of enslaved people during the sea crossing aboard slave ships. The vigils must last nine days and nine nights, to the rhythm of African bullerengue and Palenquero champeta. Young musicians from Oriki Tabalá, Estrellas del Caribe and Sambagole join Las Alegres Ambulancias here, demonstrating that powerful sound systems can remain respectful of tradition.