Merengue and Bachata - Bibliothèque et Archives Canada

144 Pages·2001·7.76 MB·English

Merengue and Bachata:
A study of two musical styIes in the Dominican Republic
by
Monica Nyvlt, B.AA4.A.
A thesis submitted to
the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
in partial fùlfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
(Master of Arts)
Department of Sociology/Anthropology
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario
January, 200 1
200 1, Monica Nyvlt
National Library Bibliothèque nationale
du Canada
Acquisitions and Acquisitions et
Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques
395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington
OttawaON KlAON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4
Canada Canada
Your 1% Voue ré(ërenœ
Our lue Notre refdrenca
The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non
exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la
National Li7rary of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de
reproduce, loan, distribute or seIl reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou
copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous
paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de
reproduction sur papier ou sur format
électronique.
The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du
copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse.
thesis nor substantial extracts &om it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels
may be printed or otheniise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés
reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son
permission. autorisation.
Abstract
Music is an important part of socid life, and is an important aspect of expressive
culture. This thesis explores the dynarnic relationship between popular music and society.
Specifically. it highiights the role that music plays in understanding societies in transition
through an examination of the social history of merengue and bachata music in the
Dominican Republic- Both musical styles have played an important role in reflecting and
contributing to social, economic, and political changes over time, though both have
accomplished this in different ways,
Music is an important vehicle through which cultural identities and social values are
forrned, articulated, and negotiated. These are expressed through discussions about music
and the value of music. Discussions regarding merengue and bachata music often reveai
commonly held and contradictory social values. Both musical styles have developed
alongside social changes and both have played an important role in highlighting the different
and competing discourses of what is a valid expression of Dominican identity and culture.
Merengue is heralded as a national syrnbol, while bachata music, once ostracized, has now
emerged as an accepted form into mainstrearn Dorninican society. Both musical styles
provide an understanding as to how popular music is evaluated and assigned meaning and
value over time within the Dorninican Republic-
The cornpletion oft his thesis is due to the contribution of many people. I would like
to thank my supervisor in Anthropology, Professor Charles Laughlin, for inspiring me to
fiirther explore this field, and for his encouragement and input which helped me to stay
focused throughout the challenges of this research; my supervisor in Music, Professor John
Shepherd, for his constant help and constructive cnticisrn throughout the writing and
revisions of this thesis, and for expanding my knowledge in the fieid of Popular Music; and
William Echard for his very helpful comments.
In a special way, 1 thank my brother Mark, who introduced me to the Dorninican
Republic, and who encouraged me to expand rny horizons. 1a m very gratefùl to my brother
Cari, rny cousin Maya, my sisters-in-law Priscilla and Pila, and especially my mother and
father for encouraging me to pursue my studies. 1 am very appreciative of the help of rny
close friends Chantal, Anel, and Kristine for their support and for our nurnerous talks and
exchange of ideas.
Most importantly, I thank my fnends in the Dominican Republic and al1 those who
participated in this research. Their hospitality during my stay in the country was unfailing.
1e specially thank Karina, who provided me with a home in Puerto Plata; Cirilo, who, among
others, shared with me his knowledge and love of music; and the radio broadcasters,
promotion managers, and musicians, especially Luis Vargas and Raulin Rodriguez, for their
generosity and willingness to be interviewed. Their help and contribution made this research
possible,
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction to the Dominican Republic
Background to Dominican Popular Music
Popular Music and Popdar Music Discourses
Methodology
Chapter One: Merengue
What is Merengue?
Origins of Merengue
The Search for Dominican Identity
Merengue and Marginality
Merengue and Politics
The Trujillo Era
Merengue: Trujillo's national identity
Trujillo and the Music Industry
The Post-Trujillo Era
Technological Changes
Whose music?: Musicians defining merengue
Chapter Two: Bachata
The Origins of Bachata
Bachata: The formative years
Bachata: Social context, style and lyrics
Bachata: Emergence in the nainstream
The Value of Lyrics
Bachata: Social status and musicians in social change
Conclusions
Survey Results
s-ary
Bibliography
List of Illustrations
Figure 2. Map of the Dominican Republic
Figure 2, La fiesta del Centenario by Julio Senior, 1944
Figure 3, Graph - Survey Results
Figure 4. Graph - Survey Results
Figure 5, Graph - Survey Results
List of A~~endices
Appendix 1. Glossary of Musical Instruments
Appendix 2. Survey
vii
Figure 1.
-
3
Introduction
This thesis explores the relationship between popular music and society: the role that
popuIar music piays in understanding societies in transition, as well as how music is an
important vehicle through whic h issues regarding cultural identity are articulated.
Specifically, it will look at the trajectories of merengue and bachata music in the Dominican
Repblic, their social and cultural significance, and the role that each musical style plays in
both reflecting and contributing to social, econornic, and political changes. In the Dominican
Republic, merengue and bachata music are part of everyday life. Not only do they provide
a culturd space in which social relations and culturai modes are expressed, but they also
serve as a vehicle through which cultural identities are articulated and negotiated. This thesis
will outline the complexities of the relationship between popular music and Dominican
culture through an examination of the social history of both musical styles.
Music is often referred to as an aspect of expressive and communicative culture
(Kaernmer 1993: 69) through which creators of culture express the values and beliefs that
are consistent with and challenge those of a particular group. These values and beliefs are
learned processes of socialization and are passed on fiom generation to generation. Music
is oriented toward the cognitive and emotional needs of a culture (Kaernmer 1993: 8), that
is, those needs that are .. c omrnonly considered to include at least the need to make sense
",
of experience, to express one's self, and to obtain positive reactions fiom other people"
(Kaemmer 1993: 8). Music is dso intricately enmeshed in social processes: music both
influences and cm be infiuenced by social change. The trajectory of a musical style cm
reveal the processes of societies in transition, and can give expression to change while
reinforcing tradition- World views are constructed and continually change as a resuIt of
social and global changes, as ethnornusicologist Mark Slobin indicates:
Music is both deeply rooted and transient. It dissolves irito space while
simultaneously settling into individual and collective mernory. Yesterday's
songs trigger todays tears. Music harbors the habituai, but also acts as a
herald of change. It helps to orchestrate personal, local, regional, ethnic,
religious, linguistic, and national identity. Stable yet constantly in flux,
music offers both strikïng metaphors and tangible data for understanding
societies at moments of transition, (Slobin 1996: 1)
Expressive culture, such as music, is not a separate domain fiom changes within society, but
is rather integrated with these. Kaemmer suggests that in order to achieve an integrated view
of the role of music and its social significance it is important to study it alongside
sociocultural systerns in order to understand how différent aspects of culture relate to each
other (Kaemmer 1993: 7). Sociocultural systems are integrated ". . - because [they] indicate
a collection of phenornena that are so closely related to each other that a change in one of
them will bring about changes in others" (Kaernmer 1993: 7). Kaemmer identifies three
components of sociocultural systems that are interrelated: material needs (such as food and
shelter); social relations (the need for human beings to relate to each other to forrn social
institutions that standardize social interactions according to accepted forms ofbehavior); and
the expressive dimensions of the sociocultural system (which are oriented to the cognitive
and emotional needs of individual people). Expressive culture takes on various forms such
as religion, art, and music. It fülfills the need to rnake sense of experience, and to instigate
meaningfid and positive reactions fiom other people (Kaernmer 1993: 8). As Kaemmer
argues :