Roman Diaz and Vicente Sanchez in the Calabar Nigeria

[eyenmmaba]

if slavery couldn't kill these cultures, nothing will. very similar in just about all aspects despite years of separation and distance b y slavery. gotta love it.

[archibong007]

Our Black brothers were not only taken to cuba for The calabar , most of them ended up in Jamaica and Brazil so that today, there are places in this area named after slaves taken from calabar, namely Calabar town ( were we have the prestigious Calabar high school in Jamaica and the Calabar favela in Brazil.

[archibong007]

Abakua ,matanzas actually originated right here in Calabar in the Cross River Area of nigeria.

Today in Calabar, In Nigeria we the Efiks/ Ibibio and the Qua people are so proud to identify ourselves with our heritage.

This rich culture was imported to Cuba and the Caribbeans from the The old city of Calabar by the Efiks,Ibibio and the Quas.

[eforicomon]

@archibong007 no Only in Cuba this society do not exist in any other caribean country, And in Cuba only in two states[habana and matanzas]

[StreetSalsaDancer]

@archibong007 Greetings all the way from New York! I have been studying Afro-Cuban dance for the past 2 years, and it has motivated me to look deeply into the rich tradition of West Africa (Benin, Nigeria, Calabar/Cross river, regions), and particularly the Yoruba people. Learning of these traditions, dances, and ceremonies has changed my life, and will remain with me the rest of my days. My Professor Felix 'Pupy" Insua has recently passed, but I feel blessed that he gave me this before he left!

[Salsassin]

Nice vid.

[azalori]

Nague Kesom Kinomgo Ekue Efok.

[lwasabache]

As an African American I look at this video with much respect and admiration for my Cuban brothers. Despite all of the difficulties of the slave trade and everything else you've had to deal with you have still preserved your African culture. You are very lucky and blessed. Blacks in the US may have material things

but we have no knowledge of our original culture and we are suffering because of it. You in Cuba have much to teach us.

[oluwalogbon58]

well, said i wish your fellow AA could recognise where their problem is.. you would never get this type of celebration amongst AA they are taught to fear Africa and to hate all things Africans , therefore denying of themselves and sowing the seeds of self destruction.. material things cannot buy this pride and self respect..

[yariny13]

@lwasabache well the Spanish did treat a little better the slave in Cuba that is a fact.Im so proud of my roots .If you realy want to learn about these read Lydia Cabrera.These secret society Abakua was formed by African slaves firt in Habana in my hometown Regla.My father was an abakua you don't have to be black to be accepted probably because as we say in Cuba if you don't got from Congo you got From Carabali jajajaja.Here in USA i can say that blacks have been drastically cut from their ROOTS

[vixxy02]

Time and water can't separate KIN!!!!

[oluwalogbon58]

wow!! i had absolutely no idea any other culture apart from yoruba culture had survived slavery in south america.. this is news to me and its amazing what the human spirit can endure .

[PrinceNoirAmericain]

Beautiful vid :-)

[wildfusion]

This was actually an Epke from Cuba celebrating the Ekpe festival in calabar, Nigeria. Most slaves from calabar were taken to Cuba during the years of slave trade.

[oluwalogbon58]

i had no idea!!this is amazing..

[seyosi]

omg ekpe!

[tanihow976]

Gr8t video! Beautiful people, beautiful country!! Blessed!