What if every drumbeat was a message in plain sight?

In this episode of Black History Buff: Definitions, we break down bonkó enchemiyá—the coded drum language of Cuba's Abakuá brotherhoods. But this isn’t just history; it’s a key to understanding how Black communities across time and continents have used music as resistance, refuge, and revolution.

From the streets of Havana to the basslines of hip-hop, we explore how sound becomes cipher, how rhythm becomes rebellion—and how the oppressor always hears noise while the community hears truth.

Featuring reflections on reggae, jazz, steel pan, and trap, this episode reveals the pattern beneath the pattern… and invites you to listen more closely.

Help Me Make This Show Great - by letting me know About:

•⁠ ⁠Pronunciation: Did I mispronounce any names, places, or terms? Teach me the right way. Your cultural expertise matters.

•⁠ ⁠What's Missing? What important detail or perspective did I leave out of this story? Your knowledge fills the gaps.

•⁠ ⁠Cultural Context: How would your community or family describe this differently? Help me understand the full picture.

How to Contribute:

Email voice recordings to: podcast@blackhistorybuff.com

Leave voice messages at: https://www.speakpipe.com/Black_history_buff

30-90 seconds is perfect

Leave a comment right here.

My Promise:

Your contributions will help improve future episodes, help all of us to learn more and might be featured in upcoming episodes.

It takes a village thank you for helping to make this one better x

The Black History Buff Podcast is a fully independent project.

We aren't backed by a publishing house, advertising partners or a major enterprise. For our existence, we depend on our loyal listeners – we depend on you.

So, if you enjoy our content and want to support the creation of more, join our history village and support our mission to share hidden stories from Black Culture, join my free Patreon:

Membership benefits include:

• Early access to new episodes
• Bonus episodes and content
• Be part of the creation of new episodes
• Guest memberships
• Get featured In Episode End credits
• Ad Free Episodes

https://www.patreon.com/Blackhistorybuff

Join my newsletter to be kept up to date with the latest posts

https://steadyhq.com/en/blackhistory

Find me on Social Media

https://linktr.ee/BlackHistoryBuff

Buy me a Coffee

https://ko-fi.com/theblackhistorybuffpodcast

Thank you for listening, sharing, and joining us on our mission.

Stay Blessed,

King Kurus,

The Black History Buff