Ellas tocaban batá a la luz de la luna. Dramaturgias de la escucha en Okana. Ritual afroRadiactivo
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[1] Universidad de las Artes de Cuba
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- Localización: Latin American theatre review, ISSN 0023-8813, Vol. 58, Nº. 2, 2025, págs. 67-84
- Idioma: español
- Enlaces
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Resumen
Okana. Ritual afroRadiactivo, by the group Osikán, had its premiere in Havana in 2019 under the artistic direction of José Ramón Hernández Suárez. This dramaturgical project explores the interface between Afro-Cuban religious liturgy and performance, connecting the ritual to performative gestures. The project builds on Hernández Suárez’s personal experience as a stage creator and as a babalocha (a spiritual leader within the Santería or Regla de Osha cult). This study focuses on “dramaturgies of listening,” a dramaturgical practice that enters through the ears, in parallel with the ritual aspects of Cuban santería. The concept of the “dramaturgies of listening” was coined specifically to analyze the work produced by Hernández Suárez and Osikán, which places listening at the centre of the scene. Additionally, building on the theories of Szendy and Rolnik, this study considers the strategies implemented in the play to construct a listening act and to foster critical listening. Finally, it addresses how Okana emphasizes the political power of Afro-Cuban spirituality, the meaning of its acoustic images and presences, and the rhythmic sound of the batá drums, key in the cult and instrumental in the dramaturgical composition.
