The cuá is an instrument that accompanies the barriles de bomba. The cuá is actually the sticks used to play on either a barrel or chunk of bamboo and helps keep the basic rhythm of the bomba strains.
A member of the group representing Aguada in the 5th Encuentro de Tambores takes time to teach Raíces co-founder and ensemble member Nicole Wines the pattern he plays to accompany the bomba strains. Each town and group has their own variations of…