Majors and Minors: Punta to Candu from Honduras with Yanelle

This is Yanelle Cruz Bonilla, a junior from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She’s thinking of studying sociology and political science. She loves singing and musical theater, and she has worked backstage. Through selecting songs as a part of her artistic expression, dance is another way Yanelle engages with music.

Haruka (H): What is pop music in Honduras like?

Yanelle (Y): We have Honduran artists, but I wouldn’t say we have a Honduran pop artist; what’s popular here in America is what’s popular [back home]. In terms of Spanish music, we listen to a lot of Mexican artists. And anyone who’s well-known in Latin America generally will also be popular in Honduras.

H: What is traditional Honduran music like?

Y: The most popular [form] is called Punta. It has West African roots, and it comes from a tribe called Garifunas. The story is that they migrated to Honduras a long time ago and found a way to bring in their roots and make it enjoyable in the country. Punta uses drums, tambourines and a lot of instruments that make unique sounds. The music is very upbeat and fast-paced, which speaks to dance styles as well. It’s almost like Caribbean music too, since the Garifunas settled near the beach and were [likely influenced by] Caribbean styles. I love Punta; it cheers me up when I’m feeling down. On the other hand, folk music uses marimba and wind instruments instead of drums. You hear [folk] during Independence Month, and schools teach traditional dances to perform with it. A lot of the dances [tell] stories, for instance, about the independence movement. The songs are in the background, and the dances tell the story.

Sept. 15 is Independence Day. Throughout September, there are various kinds of celebrations. The day we kick off celebrations is Flag Day [Sept. 1]. Anything that gives us an excuse to dance and eat food, we celebrate. We also have designated days to celebrate the people who fought for our independence. The Independence Day carnival is televised nationally. Dance groups, orchestras and bands and even cheerleaders parade the capitol. Palillonas, cheerleaders who use Palos (sticks) instead of pompoms, are one of the most exciting parts of the parade. While at an average party you might see a mix of traditional and imported cuisine, at every celebration during this month, it’s all of our traditional food. At schools, there’s a lot of programming for Independence Month, such as putting on a play or parade. A lot [of the celebration] is centered around music, dancing and food.

H: Is there a song that everyone knows in Honduras?

Y: Everyone, of course, knows the national anthem; you can’t graduate from high school if you don’t know it. Everyone learns “Anthem to a Mother” at school and performs that on Mother's Day. "Candu" is a folk song that everyone performs during Independence Month, which comes from our indigenous background; Honduras had a lot of tribes.  There are a lot of other folk songs that most people know. People know soccer team chants, too.