Handheld drums, known as panderetas, kept an infectious beat and helped turn the David Student Union into a celebration of Puerto Rican music and culture.
Local musicians and dancers introduced the CNU community to the joyful sounds of Plena, a music tradition built around storytelling, rhythm and percussion at Plena En La Plaza, a festive event commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month. Local Hampton Roads band, Los Pleneros Sin Rumbo, entertained the crowd and taught students how to play the panderetas and other traditional percussion instruments that create various rhythms of Plena.
“I have heard about Plena, but I’ve never participated,” said Sara Mercado ‘29 Sociology. “Both my parents are from Puerto Rico, and I grew up always feeling strongly connected to my Puerto Rican heritage. But living in the States while the rest of my family lives on the island makes me feel slightly disconnected. When I saw the flyer for this event, I was super excited about the opportunity to learn more. This is so much fun being able to celebrate my culture.”
Mercado and many other Captains gamely took their turn learning to dance Plena, taught by the Latin Dance Troupe from Libre Dance USA, a nearby studio.
“My Dad was especially excited when I told him about this event. Growing up in Puerto Rico, he took a lot of dance classes and participated in many plenazos,” added Mercado.
Plena En La Plaza was presented by English Professor Cristina De León-Menjivar, Music Professor Mike Levine, and Dr. Rocio Gordon, representing the Spanish section of the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department. Their goal was to educate students about the history of Plena and the role it plays in contemporary Puerto Rican culture.
“I am a part of the Puerto Rican diaspora, and I decided to plan this event to share the beauty of our people and culture with the CNU community,” said De León-Menjivar. “Puerto Rican culture is known for its rich history that incorporates the presence and influences of the indigenous Taíno people, the African diaspora, and the Spanish. This combination of cultures can be felt all across the island, and these influences are palpable in our music.”
“As a professor of Spanish and Latin American culture (and as a Hispanic myself), having an event like this on campus means a lot to me. Together with the Hispanic Film Series, the plenazo is a chance to share a bit of our roots and cultural heritage with the whole CNU community,” said Gordon.
Gordon added that the outdoor plaza provided the ideal setting for the event, echoing the tradition of public plazas as vibrant gathering places in communities across Latin America and the Caribbean.
“The street is a site of everyday sociability and collective life, where one might share coffee or mate with a neighbor, dance during carnaval, or take part in a social protest,” she said.
“The Music Department and I are thrilled and proud to co-host this event, and to help bring a meaningful representation of Puerto Rican culture to CNU’s campus during Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Levine. “My hope is that our music students, who have precious little exposure to Caribbean and Latin American music, will come away from this performance with a far greater appreciation for the rich tradition of Puerto Rican Plena, both by observing and participating with the music of Los Pleneros Sin Rumbo.”
Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated each year from September 15 through October 15, honors the contributions and culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans. León-Menjivar said the purpose of Plena En La Plaza was to celebrate the richness and diversity of Puerto Rican culture “within our own Hampton Roads community and to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month at CNU through joy,” adding that the goal of the event was to “immerse the CNU and local community in Puerto Rican culture in an authentic and memorable way.”
A Hispanic Film Series and Discussion will be held on various nights throughout the month.