Colombian Culture, Colombia Adoption and Raising Colombian Kids

Yesterday, I mentioned the flooding that much of Colombia is experiencing. However, I did not mention a situation that is beginning to get worse with the passage of time. This situation is very critical. Right now, many cities and towns have been isolated by the flooding with the roads leading to these towns having flooded. Many of these roads are still under water, others have been completely destroyed or buried by landslides. This is preventing food from reaching people in the cities. Store shelves are empty. Additionally, the flooding of the rivers Pamplonita and Zulia in Cucuta (the capital of the department of Norte Santander) has destroyed the city's water purification plant. Now, citizens are surrounded by water, but none of it is potable. There are 27 trucks trying to fill the water needs of 600,000 people, which is simply not enough. The citizens are greatly suffering in the near 90 degree humid climate. Even the hospitals are closed because there is no water. R...

Throughout Colombia over the last few days there has been massive flooding caused by the start of the rainy season -- el invierno . So far, 93 have been reported dead. Major road ways have been destroyed, paralyzing the country's infrastructure. As many as 69,000 have been left homeless. This is on the heels of last year's deadly and destructive invierno.

Our walk down Salsa 's history lane will slow down to a crawl. This will allow for a closer look at each one of the Fania Stars. But let's begin with a look on the rear view mirror. One of the precursor rhythms to Salsa was something called Latin Boogaloo and the father of this rhythm was Gilberto Miguel Calderón . He was a Neuyorican, someone born in New York to Puerto Rican parents. By the end of 1950s, Calderón had become Tito Puente 's friend, had formed his own band (The Joe Cuba Sextet), and had changed his name to - well-- Joe Cuba . In 1964, a rising vocalist and future Fania star named Cheo Feliciano was given the charge to sing Joe Cuba's song Que Problema (What a Problem). Here it is: Que Problema by The Joe Cuba Sextet with Cheo Feliciano Fania re-wrote this song and popularized it in the voice of Hector Lavoe . They named it, Que Lio (another way of saying What a Problem!). I like the fact that the first word in this drum beat based jam is a we...

If you have little Colombianitos, you have probably seen your share of Elmo and Rosita. This week Colombian rock sensation JUANES filmed a segment for an upcoming episode of Sesame Street, set to air this fall. Word is that he will teach the kids the words -- Manos, Cabeza and Pies (hands, head and feet) -- via song. Definitely something to look forward to. See a picture of Juanes with Rosita here: http://www.eltiempo.com/gente/juanes-se-reune-con-barack-obama_9157980-4

A friend made me aware of this recently uploaded documentary on the Colombian Police. Very Interesting! It comes in three parts of approximately 15 minutes each.

Here is a great little documentary on the Sunday Ciclovía in Bogotá -- in Enlgish.

I grew up hearing of Fania as a musical institution. The history of Fania , the Record Label, and of Fania All Stars , the Band, could fill large tomes. That history has been explored by many, and can be easily found on the Internet. I highly recommend PBS's Latin Music USA documentary, which contains a chapter called Salsa Revolution . It is great, even though the story is told from an American perspective. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/latinmusicusa/#/en/wat/02/01 As Jimmy Smits, the narrator, puts it, "by the end of the 70s, Fania had sold millions of records around the world. All the while, back in the US, most people barely noticed. So, this is the story of what they missed. . . . the birth of Salsa." The creation of Fania Records in 1968 is, in my opinion, that birthday. The label was created by an Italian, Jerry Masucci, and by a Dominican, Johnny Pacheco. By the time Fania All Stars performed their famous concert in Yankee Stadium in 1973, the label had signed up t...