Gurumbé: Afro-Andalusian Memories

The documentary explores the fundamental contribution of Afro-Andalusians to Flamenco.

Howard University is celebrating 150 years of Global Studies with a series of activities including Hidden Origins in the study of Africa and the African Diaspora. In addition to the screening of Gurumbé: Afro-Andalusian Memories, the event includes two roundtables with Howard University specialists in global and interdisciplinary collaborations, before and after the screening.

Gurumbé: Afro-Andalusian Memories

• On Monday, November 27 at 3 pm.
• Directed by Miguel Angel Rosales, Spain, 2017, 72 minutes. In Spanish with English subtitles. View trailer.
• Director Miguel Angel Rosales will attend the screening.
• Roundtables will take place before (2 pm) and after (4:30 pm) the screening.

Flamenco is synonymous with Spanish culture. Yet, since its inception, theorists have sidelined the fundamental contribution of Afro-Andalusians to this art form. Commercial exploitation of the American colonies brought hundreds of Africans to Spain, forming a population which, over time, managed to gain space in a society wrought with racial prejudices. Music and dance were a fundamental part of their expression and the most important affirmation of their identity. As the black population began to disappear from Spain in the late 19th century, so too did their contribution to this extraordinary art form. In Gurumbé: Afro-Andalusian Memories, their story is finally told.