The Cuban pianist Omar Sosa responded without hesitation when journalist Tania Costa asked him what music he would play to reflect the mood of the Cubans in this moment of uncertainty: "I would play the Eggún rhythm," used in the Yoruba religion to summon and praise the spirits.
The question arose at the end of a live interview on CiberCuba. Sosa, born in Camagüey in 1965 and living outside the Island (currently in Spain) for over forty years, immediately explained the meaning of his choice: "Eggún. Do you know who they are? Spirit. United and listening to the voices. This is what must be clear."
The Eggún, in the Afro-Cuban tradition rooted in Yoruba, represents the spirits of deceased ancestors. The "toque" is a ritual ceremony involving music, drums, and chants to invoke, honor, and seek their guidance. For Sosa, invoking the Eggún at this historical moment is a metaphor for collective spiritual unity.
The musician articulated his vision with an image of balance: "The brain can only go in one direction. The soul alone can go in another direction. Balance. Equilibrium."
With that metaphor, the internationally recognized afrocuban jazz pianist condensed his call for unity and dialogue as a necessary condition for any transformation in Cuba, explicitly rejecting violence.
"Let there be no bloodshed, because it is not justified. Our country, our people, our family, our community do not deserve it," Sosa stated.
The musician went further and outlined a clear political direction for the island. "It can and must take a democratic path."
The Afro-Cuban spiritual roots are not a decorative element in Sosa's work, but rather a structural one. His discography, which exceeds 35 albums, integrates the Regla de Ocha and Yoruba tradition with jazz, African music, and electronic music, making his response to the Eggún consistent with his entire artistic journey.
The artist, who defines himself as a "citizen of the world" at the age of 61, studied percussion at the Conservatory of Camagüey and later at the National School of Arts in Havana, where he became involved in the nueva canción cubana movement alongside figures like Carlos Varela and Vanito. He settled in San Francisco in 1995 and has accumulated at least 7 nominations for the Grammy and Latin Grammy.
The interview takes place against a backdrop of widespread uncertainty among Cubans both on and off the island, which includes the situation of imprisoned artists like Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, incarcerated since July 11, 2021, whose five-year sentence will end in July 2026.
"May God hear you," Tania Costa responded upon hearing Sosa's call for a democratic and non-violent change, thereby concluding the conversation.
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