Latin American concert in St. John's celebrates newcomers' heritage and culture
The second annual event is part of Latin American Heritage Month
Members of the Latin American community in St. John's didn't let the rain get them down as they gathered to celebrate their heritage with a multicultural show Saturday.
The Latin American Heritage Concert, which featured a variety of Latin American music from Argentinian tango to Spanish rock music, was held on George Street for the second year in a row.
"It is a small piece of what we feel about our countries and moving here to our new lives and starting again," said Alicia Mujica, the president of the Latino Hispanic Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, which organized the event.
For Mujica, who came to the province from Peru 15 years ago, it's a great way to keep her culture alive in her new home.
"I have a daughter and like many parents, we wanted to continue preserving our language, our culture, that they still love our traditions," she said. "That's why this heritage concert is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate new generations about the outstanding achievements and contributions of the Latino Hispanic people."
Performances included samba lessons by Vanessa Cardoso and music by De La Paz Latin Band and Vuelo Directo.
The latter was started in 2017 and covers a wide array of music, said band member Roberto Martínez-Espiñeira.
"We just do covers of Spanish and Latin American songs from the '60s, '70s, '80s, all the way to current day, mostly because we're a little bit old ourselves," he said.
Martínez-Espiñeira, who came to the province from Spain in 2009, said while Newfoundland is his home, reminiscing about his teenage years is one of the reasons why he started the band.
"We enjoy the music from Newfoundland and the people here and the culture, of course," he said. "But every now and again, you have a little bit of, 'Oh, I remember in the '90s, I remember in the '80s,' depending on your age. You want to bring it back."
Generally, said Martínez-Espiñeira, Newfoundlanders appreciate the band's Latin American tunes, as music is what unites everyone.
"Even if you don't understand the lyrics, you get the feeling of it," he said. "You might not understand every word we we sing but the music is not really foreign. And every now and again, people do know the actual song we are singing."
The event is part of a month full of similar celebrations across the country, said Mujica, as October marks Latin American Heritage Month.
She said the Latin American population in the province lies around 1,200 people, including many university students, which the association aims to be a supportive network for.
"We try to help the people who just arrived in Canada to find information in their own language," said Mujica.
"They can feel that, have that sense of home.... And also to start again. It's easier when somebody can help you, and especially if English is your second language."
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With files from Henrike Wilhelm