Transcript
Speaker 1: Merengue. For me and for the knowledge of the country I come from, Costa Rica, we were taught the merengue was originated from Dominican Republic. More of the background that I have from that, of knowledge of it, can be came from the Africans when they came to America. So it was a culture clash. Before, they say it was the slaves, people working out in the fields.
Speaker 2: Basically forced to work together and do something with their time.
Speaker 1: It’s kind of a celebration because-
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: You see this dance, and it’s not a sad dance.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Actually, it’s a happy dance. It’s like “Let’s live it up.”
Speaker 2: There’s no set rules. It’s a social dance. So basically you’re getting to know the person, but at the same time having fun, and you do it at parties, house parties, clubs. The music is fun.
Speaker 1: The music is amazing. Remember, we have also (?) and all the instruments that Africa brought to us and Europeans. The congas and the cymbal-as and there are so many different instruments that are played in the merengue that it totally is a culture clash. It’s not just from Dominican Republic, but…
Speaker 2: A lot of things influence it.
Speaker 1: Everything is an influence. So that’s what we know about merengue.
