Conga Los Hoyos: The Pride of Santiago

Conga Los Hoyos is the public image of its neighborhood, described by the people of Santiago as the place where the city’s traditions are best preserved. This is Cuba’s most popular Conga, because of the particular sound of quintos, primos, drums, bells and Chinese trumpets.

With a centenarian history, it sticks to its musical and rhythmical elements that work as the catalyzer of a simple language with natural codes that are spontaneously transmitted.

The tradition of congas began when the Spaniards decided to allow their slaves to hold their parties. Long before that, in the barracks, mandingas, congos, carabalíes, behind their masters’ backs, used to carry out their religious celebrations.

There were several mambi fighters participating in those congas, such as general Guillermón Moncada, during the Spanish colony and sometimes they were forbidden to do so because of political security matters; nevertheless, some of them did it anyway.

Conga Los Hoyos’ rhythms are pilón or toque de conga, the oldest one, which makes it stand out among other groups of the same kind; masón, created by Encarnito Priol in 1938, a version of the toque masón of French tumbas and Columbia, taken from Tivolí’s comparsa.

Most of the members of this Conga are self-taught young people, who play bass drums, backgrounds (quinto, requinto) and the Chinese bugle. They haven’s studied it, but they do it with their hearts.

“The rhythm of Los Hoyos conga is one of a kind”, its director, Félix Bandera Bles, asserts. "There is no other conga with that rhythm. If you’re there and feel the Conga, your feet will dance away”, Bandera said.

The “invasions” are some of the most memorable moments of the Conga, since its members walk and play all over the city, thus visiting the headquarters of the five rival congas (San Pedrito, San Agustín, Paso Franco, El Guayabito and Alto Pino).
 

Conga de los Hoyos is a cultural institution, respected by different publics, academicians and authorities. It has been taken to Cancun, Guyana, France and the Dominican Republic, so the sound of its drums has gone overseas with the same passion that shows in the streets of Santiago.

This Conga stands as an original representation of massive musical and dance participation, a token of Santiago de Cuba’s idiosyncrasy and autochthonous character, so it has become a can’t-miss element when it comes to studying Cuban traditions and folklore.