Candombe

Hand-carved from 2 blocks of wood and two additional segments, Candombe was the second single composition piece in this collection. It was inspired by the Uruguayan musical and dance tradition of African origin called "candombe". It's approximately 12 inches in height, it's stained and varnished, and sits on a varnished hardwood base. Candombe was completed in 2004. The candombe was born in Montevideo among black slaves brought over from Africa during colonial times. On holidays, these slaves would get together on the streets of the Barrio Sur or Barrio Palermo, two neighborhoods of Montevideo, to play their drums, and wear costumes while dancing in mockery of their white owners. The candombe lives today as a strong part of Uruguayan music and dance tradition and can be seen performed in the streets, specially on December 31st., as well as in February, during the Carnival parade known as "Las llamadas." The candombe's played on drums of different sizes, each with a specific name and sound quality. The large-sized one, which I’ve included in this sculpture, is a "piano" drum. The others are named "repique" and "chico", each with its own distinct role place in the candombe.