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When the Spirits Dance Mambo
Cuando los Espiritus Bailan
Mambo
Directors: Dr. Marta Moreno Vega & Robert Shepard
Documentary
Color, 90 min.
U.S.A.
2002
Spanish with English subtitles
A triumphant voyage of faith and power, "Cuando los Espíritus Bailan Mambo"/"When the Spirits
Dance Mambo" is a real life testament of strength and triumph of the human spirit. Tracing the role of sacred African thought
and practices in the formation of Cuban society, culture and music, the 90-minute documentary is a tribute to the spiritual
energy that traveled from West Africa to Cuba and New York. Co-produced and directed by Robert "Bobby" Shepard and Marta Moreno
Vega, "When the Spirits Dance Mambo" was shot in Cuba and New York over a three month period. A celebration of the traditions
of ancestor worship, "When the Spirits Dance Mambo", documents the roots of the sacred African religion, La Regla de Ocha
(known as Santeria) as practiced in Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba and Havana. With the Caribbean Cultural Center as Executive
Producer, the film traces its roots from 15th century Africa to the New World. Developing practices in the formation of Cuban
civil society, Yoruba belief systems survived and traveled from Africa to Cuba and New York through sacred rituals, songs,
music and dance. Armed with the energy of their ancestral rituals and customs, enslaved Africans carried La Regla de Ocha
as protective shields believing in the power of a spiritual force for endurance, identity and empowerment.
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