Politiken des Rhythmus: Rueda de Bullerengue

In the organizer's words:

Music and dance workshop

Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) invites you to the first Bullerengue Rueda, the participatory dance and music format in which the communitarian art form of the Afro-Colombian maroons unfolds. The Rueda celebrates the conclusion of this year's series of internal bullerengue workshops and the transition to a new series of public events in 2025.

Since 2023, HKW has been committed to establishing this practice in Berlin: first with the introductory workshops Bullerengue - Together we reap what we sow, which took place in the presence of maestros and maestras from the areas where this practice originated and were comprehensively accompanied by the experienced, UK-based Colombian educational project Bullerengue Circle. In 2024, HKW organized an internal teaching program in which a group of interested people met regularly to learn the singing and drumming techniques of bullerengue. They were led by Berlin-based folklore singing facilitator Carolina Riaño Gómez and drummers Dante Parraguez and Cristian Betancourt.

Bullerengue is a family of rhythms of West African origin native to the Colombian Caribbean and the province of Darién in Panama. It is practiced in ruedas or circles in which the participants join together in mantra-like refrains that express sublimity and inner strength. In the narrative format of call and response chants and as a collective, improvisational form of music and dance, these bailes cantados - sung dances - activate a sense of togetherness. Cultivated by older women as an intergenerational practice of communal care and knowledge transfer, the bullerengue has been used for centuries as a means of healing and strengthening resilience. Today, its practice recalls and perpetuates the stories of resistance rooted in the Afro-diasporic community. Its cultural significance and the palpable sense of well-being it evokes has inspired many women and LGBTQAI+ to actively engage in the cultivation and transmission of this tradition. Bullerengue has thus become a way to resist, find solace and share experiences of violence stemming from local conflicts as well as systemic oppression.

For this rueda and the others in 2025, Riaño and Parraguez will be supported by percussionist Leo Mejía, dancers and choristers Renata Puelma and Séraphime Reznikoff, as well as other enthusiasts and experienced practitioners. Together they want to create the first local ensemble in Berlin dedicated to deepening the roots of this ancient art in the city. In the first part of the session, the basics of bullerengue will be introduced and rehearsed, while in the second part the rueda will be practiced, with everyone dancing and singing along and the more experienced participants also singing and drumming. Through these actions, the rueda is performed, imaginable as a constantly renewing circle, in the center of which a fire burns, which is fed by the energy and resistance of all participants and in turn gives them new strength.

The Bullerengue series is part of the Politics of Rhythm program, through which HKW aims to contribute to the transmission, promotion and reception of relational, embodied and rhythmic cultures that give space to the practice and production of cultural, civic and intercultural forms of knowledge.

HKW welcomes all who wish to participate in the emancipatory practice of bullerengue, especially those practicing anti-racist, intersectional, feminist and queer activism. All are welcome to join in clapping, singing, dancing or playing (and possibly bring your own drums or maracas).

Music and Dance Workshop

To celebrate the transition between the conclusion of this year's internal Bullerengue workshop series and a new set of public moments for the coming one, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) hosts a first Bullerengue Rueda, the participatory dance and music format in which the maroon Afro-Colombian communitarian art form unfolds.

Over the course of two years, HKW has committed to nurturing the establishment of this practice in Berlin: first in 2023 with the introductory workshop series Bullerengue-Plantingthe Seeds for Community Healing, featuring the presence of maestros and maestras from the territories from which it emanated, accompanied by the holistic support of the experience of UK-based Colombian cultural organizers Bullerengue Circle. In 2024, HKW hosted an internal pedagogical process in which a group of those interested in learning Bullerengue singing and drumming techniques met on a regular basis, guided by Berlin-based vocal folklore facilitator Carolina Riaño and drummers Dante Parraguez and Cristian Betancourt.

Descending from West Africa, Bullerengue is a family of rhythms that developed and remains alive in the Colombian Caribbean and the Darién Province in Panama. It is practised in ruedas, or circles, in which participants unify their voices through the repetition of mantra-like choruses that evoke elation and empowerment. Through a storytelling format of call-and-response and an improvisatory practice of collective music-making and dancing, these bailes cantados-sungdances-activate mutual awareness and a sense of connection and belonging. Preserved by women within spaces of intergenerational care and knowledge transmission, Bullerengue has been used for centuries as a tool for healing and resilience. Today, its practise culturally affirms and upholds the histories of resistance rooted in the Afro-diasporic community. Its cultural significance and the palpable wellbeing it stimulates has inspired many women and LGBTQAI+ to join in its maintenance and promotion, having become a way to resist, soothe, and narrate experiences of violence arising from both local conflicts and systemic oppression.

For this rueda and those to follow in 2025, Riaño and Parraguez, are joined by percussionist Leo Mejía, dance practitioners and choristers Renata Puelma and Séraphime Reznikoff, and other enthusiasts and experienced practitioners. Through these efforts, they aim to form the first local ensemble working solely to deepen the roots of this ancestral art in the city. During the first part of the session they introduce and rehearse the basics of Bullerengue, while the second part is the practise of the rueda, requiring everyone to join in with dancing and chanting, and for more experienced participants to take part with singing and drumming. Through these actions the rueda is enacted, imagined as an ever-renewing circle that holds at its center a 'fire' that both feeds and is fuelled by the energy and resistance of all partaking.

The Bullerengue series is part of the programme Politics of Rhythm, through which HKW serves in the transmission, promotion, and housing of relational, embodied, and rhythmic cultures that host space for the practise and production of cultural, civic, and intercultural knowledges.

HKW welcomes anyone interested in taking part in the emancipatory practice of Bullerengue, particularly those undertaking anti-racist, intersectional, feminist, queer activism. Join in with clapping, singing, dancing, or playing (bring your own drum or maracas if you wish). It's open to all!