The powerful image of the runaway slave
‘Cimarrón’ means runaway slave, or maroon, in Spanish. The festival’s founder, Colombian singer Luz Elena Caicedo, chose this iconic name for the festival to reflect the powerful influence of the African cultural legacy in Latin America.
Luz Elena comments, “Where I grew up, in Cali, Colombia, around 30% of people were of African descent. Although I don’t have African blood myself, I grew up listening to Afro-Colombian music.”
But it was while studying for a Masters in Ethnomusicology and African Music at SOAS (the School of Oriental and African Studies) in London, that she really began
“In 2007 we celebrated the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade,” continues Luz Elena. “But in all the events here in London there was no mention of slavery in Latin America. I felt it was unfair that part of history was being ignored, especially as Latin America was the largest recipient of the slave trade and it has left such an amazing cultural heritage there.”
This sparked off the idea for the festival, and Luz Elena successfully applied for £10,000 of ‘Awards for All’ Lottery funding to launch the first Cimarrón Festival in 2008.
Although the festival’s funding applications were unsuccessful this year and last, all the events in the line-up are still free to attend, with the exception of the finale, for which entry is just £5. OneKX, The Bolivar Hall, The Ritzy and SOAS have all kindly donated the use of their venues to make this year’s festival possible.
Three years on, Luz Elena still does all the organising herself, with support from her husband, Venezuelan percussionist Wilmer Sifontes.
Celebrating independence and diversity
The third annual Cimarrón Festival is timed to commemorate another bicentenary, that of Latin America’s independence. Mexico and Venezuela both gained their independence in 1810 and many other countries followed suit over the next four years. The festival marks the start of a seven-month programme of events to celebrate the occasion, co-ordinated by the Latin American Bicentenary Group.
It also aims to connect people in the UK from diverse Afro-Latin backgrounds. Luz Elena explains, “There are so many Latinos here and everyone has been eager to take part and celebrate their African roots. It has become an important event for the Latin American artistic community, as it serves as a platform for the talents of the many Latin artists who work with Afro-Latin dance and music.”
In addition to including workshops for children, this year’s Cimarrón Festival is also reaching out to local older people, with Afro-Latin dance and singing workshops being held at LAEP – the Latin American Elderly Project in Angel.
So whatever your age or background, if you're based in or around London, head along to the Cimarrón Festival to celebrate the African roots of Latin American culture.
