"The Black Atlantic" is a term coined by British cultural historian Paul Gilroy in his influential book "The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness" (1993). It refers to the interconnectedness of the African diaspora cultures across the Atlantic Ocean, emphasizing the shared history and cultural exchanges between Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe.
It is a framework for understanding the complex, interconnected cultural and historical experiences of the African diaspora across the Atlantic Ocean. It emphasizes the cultural exchange, hybrid identities, and shared struggles of Black people in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe.
Here at Amara Arts, we look at Black art through this lense. While the Black experience (and by extension, Black art) is unique in each area we exist, there are connections between our experiences which link us.
We dance beyond the limitations of national borders to understand the broader, interconnected experiences of Black people across the Atlantic world.
Diaspora and Migration, Social Struggle
Africans were forcibly taken to the Americas and the Caribbean during the transatlantic slave trade. The political and social experiences of Black peoples in the Atlantic world often include struggle due to this history of human trafficking, oppression, and subsequent placement in the lower castes of societies. Our experiences in Atlantic world include the fight against slavery, colonialism, racism, and for civil rights and equality. Our arts reflect this. Bomba in Puerto Rico was born from the need to express and communicate outside of rigidity of the rules Spanish colonists and enslavers
Double Concsiousness, Cultural Exchange and Hybridization
Drawing on W.E.B. Du Bois's idea of double consciousness, Gilroy examines the complex identity of Black people who navigate between their African heritage and the Western societies they live in. This duality often involves reconciling African traditions with the experiences and influences of the diaspora.
The cultural exchange, blending, and hybridization of African, American, Caribbean, and European cultures (often forced) has resulted in unique forms of music, dance, religion, and other cultural expressions that transcend national boundaries. We can't box them in as solely one "thing" so we accept and acknowledge all elements. For example, salsa is rich in African music and dance aesthetics: polyrhythms of West African drumming as well as the turns and elasticity of African American Lindy Hop. But we would be oversimplifying it by only calling it "African" due to the Spanish and American Jazz influences on melody and upright body posture of the dance as well as the necessity of Indigenous maracas, güiros in the sound. This blending is part of the Black experience in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the United States is reflected in the art form.
At Amara Arts, we explore and celebrate the interconnectedness of Black cultures across the Atlantic with our performances. By recognizing the shared history and cultural exchanges among Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe, we honor the unique yet intertwined experiences of the African diaspora. Our dance and art transcend national boundaries, reflecting the hybrid identities and social struggles that define the Black experience. From the resilient beats of bomba to the vibrant polyrhythms of salsa, our work acknowledges and celebrates the intricacies of Black experiences. Through this lens, we not only preserve the cultural heritage of the diaspora but also forge a future that values and uplifts the diverse expressions of Black art.
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Charis
