This year's International Rumba Festival, Timbalaye, shines a spotlight on the voices of the Congos, brought from Africa, and the rich cultural legacy of this ethnic group, according to event organizers.
The 17th edition of the festival, themed "Rumba Route," will take place from August 25th to 31st, under the slogan "Hay un congo cara" (There's a Congo Face), aiming to "convey that vibrant essence throughout all provinces," explained Irma Castillo, Vice President of Timbalaye.
The ancestral voices of the Congos in rumba will be the central focus of this year's festival, to which the event is dedicated, she noted. "For the first time, we feature the color green, a hue representing the energy of this group brought from Africa," Castillo added.
The color is also associated with life and renewal; it symbolizes the energy and strength of the Congos, alongside the siguaraya, distinctive of Cuban popular culture and our heritage, the specialist emphasized.
Therefore, a national planting of this plant is proposed, with the objective of, first, committing to the environment, but also to provide national unity and hope through this collective memory rooted in our heritage, she highlighted.
The 2025 International Timbalaye Rumba Festival is organized this year with a structure deeply rooted in our ancestors.
The program is organized as follows: "Following the Footsteps of the Legacy," to emphasize oral tradition; "The Ancestral Voices," to identify the songs and dance legacy by underscoring the importance of fostering this heritage of bodily movement, which transmits the knowledge that preserves it, she noted.
"Living in the Neighborhoods," because it is in the community where this knowledge and experience can be witnessed, and in each territory, we can experience expressions of living heritage related to the Congos, she emphasized.
On August 24th, a pre-festival event will take place at the Pabellón Cuba, featuring children's projects and cultural promoters. On August 25th, the opening ceremony will be held at Casa de las Américas, with the Timbalaye international colloquium and a keynote address on the Congos and Palo Monte by ethnologist Miguel Barnet.
In the following days, the festival will move through different Havana neighborhoods and travel to provinces such as Matanzas, Cienfuegos, and Villa Clara, where the Cuban portion of the festival will conclude.
Timbalaye is an international promoter of Cuban culture, founded in 1999 by Castillo, Maria Elena Mora, and Ulises Mora. Its driving force is Rumba, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a genre that connects the island to the world.
(Taken from Prensa Latina)
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