Antología de la música afrocubana, vol. X: Abakuá

Abakuá music is the ritual and ceremonial music of the Abakuá religious fraternity in Cuba. It descends from the Ékpè (Ekpe) tradition of the Cross River region of West Africa and is practiced primarily in Havana and Matanzas. The style is centered on consecrated drums, dense interlocking rhythms, call-and-response singing in Abakuá-lexicon languages, and strict performance rules tied to initiation, secrecy, and specific rites. Abakuá music strongly emphasizes collective groove, coded vocal texts, and the dramatic presence of masked/embodied figures in certain ceremonies, making it both devotional and highly percussive.