Bluefields has developed a tradition of music that has defined Caribbean identity on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Bluefields has never had a recording studio, and local musicians had to travel to the other side of the country to record their music.
The traditional sound is called "Maypole", an authentic Caribbean folk music, played on a washtub base, jawbone, banjo and other folk instruments. Recording artists who released some of Nicaragua's most celebrated records still live in Bluefields today with very little to show.
The Struggle
A new generation of artists with the same natural rhythm are emerging from the barrios of Bluefields. Unfortunately, the war, poverty and a lack of resources has meant the traditions of "Maypole" music haven't been passed on to the next generation. Young songsters have not had the opportunity to learn to play even basic instruments, and as a result Bluefields is experiencing a cultural erosion.
