Batalá New York

Batalá New York is an all-woman, Black-led percussion ensemble that spreads cultural awareness through Afro-Caribbean music, instruments, and dress. Batalá is part of a global community playing Brazilian music, principally Samba Reggae, which incorporates Brazilian Samba and Caribbean Reggae. Following a parade and performance, Batalá will share the origins and cultural context of the music, instruments, and costumes, which are primarily from Salvador de Bahia and handmade by artisans in that region. Batalá New York presents a musical form that is one of the most important cultural phenomena in Brazil. It tells the story of the African slave trade; of the melding of Afro-Brazilian, Portuguese, and Arab cultures; the criminalization of art by a repressive regime; and ultimately of the strength and celebration of Black culture.