marrabenta
Sign in to saveMarrabenta is a popular style of Mozambican dance music combining traditional Mozambican dance rhythms with Portuguese folk music. It was developed in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, during the 1930s and 1940s.
Key facts
- Music genre.name
- Marrabenta
- Music genre.stylistic_origins
- Mozambique and Portuguese folk music
- Music genre.cultural_origins
- 1930s-1940s, Mozambique
- Music genre.regional_scenes
- Maputo
via Wikipedia infobox
~4 min read
Article
5 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- Style
- Contemporary form
- References
Marrabenta is a popular style of Mozambican dance music combining traditional Mozambican dance rhythms with Portuguese folk music. It was developed in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, during the 1930s and 1940s.
==Etymology== The name may be derived from the Portuguese word rebentar (arrabentar in the local vernacular), which means "to break". This may refer to the cheap musical instruments used in this music, which are often played energetically until they fall apart. Vocalist Dilon Djindji claims this refers to the energetic performances he delivered while on tour across Mozambique, as the intensity and vitality of his shows led audiences to believe that he was 'breaking' the emotional limits of those in attendance. The musicians who played Marrabenta came to be called arrabenta. Over time, the name Marrabenta has grown in popularity and continues to be used today.