Bombazo: Workshop and performance at Roger Williams University, RI
Lydia Perez and Yoruba 2
Guest Artist:
Master Tito Ayala from the Ayala Family of Loiza, Puerto Rico
HISTORY OF SANTOS IN PUERTO RICO
The santos tradition has been alive in Puerto Rico since the 16th century. They originally served a practical purpose: for home use in rural areas that had limited access to churches. The Santos making as an art form and as a devotional tradition to the material and spiritual life of the Puerto Rican people; Santos making in its historic depth and connection to the Spanish colonial period and its evolutionary process through contemporary lifestyles. Thus, it has become a handprint for Puerto Rico. There's a santos from Puerto Rico in the Smithsonian's Museum of National History that dates to the 1500s. Initially, santos were carved out of a single block of wood; only later did the craft become more sophisticated, with separate pieces assembled together to make the finished product. Santos are hand-carved by artisans known as Santeros. Using a simple knife, these artisans (many of whom are honored as master craftsmen on the island) typically pain...
