What happens when eleven women from different parts of Colombia unite against male oppression? And what happens when they begin to sing about their experiences and play musical instruments that only men have been allowed to play? Enkelé uses Afro-Colombian musical genres to expose the taboos surrounding the status of women in the region. They also return to the history of their country and its ancestors.
When Enkelé first attempted to play drums at a festival in Tamalameque, North Colombia, they were immediately expelled from the city for being too brash. In the culture in which the band members grew up, until recently women were only allowed to perform as singers. "We're trying to talk about the importance of violence-free spaces, and it's not just about machismo. That's why we want to share these values through our music and show that women can play musical instruments too," said one of Enkelé's members in an interview with Rival Times.
Read moreTo the sounds of a genre derived from the culture of Afro-Colombian slaves called baile cantao and their indigenous bantu language, Enkelé's full band is subversive and their appearance is electrifying. Breaking down the barriers between tradition and progress gives hope to the next generation of Afro-Colombian women for freedom of artistic expression. Enkelé remind us that we can also fight for social change through music.
Enkelé burst onto the scene at Colombia's Bogota Music Week festival with the punch of female power like a hurricane. The best concert of last year's show was praised by the Vice President of Colombia who was present - so we could be part of history and dance along with them.