Congo Square

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Location: 835 N. Rampart St. New Orleans, LA 70116

Congo Square was originally the place Houmar Indians used to celebrate corn harvests. Later, as the name suggests, it was the place where enslaved Africans played music, danced and sang songs with African roots. Popular African dances included the Bamboula, the Calinda and the Congo. The instruments they used were fashioned like those from home and included gourd rattles, balaphones (xylophone) and kalimbas.

 

Resources

Evans, Freddi Williams. Conqo Square: African  Roots in New Orleans. Lafayette: University of Louisiana Press, 2011.

Weatherlord, Carole Boston and R. Gregory Christie, Freedom in Congo Square. Little Bee, 2016. (Ages 4-8).

Photo Credit: Tulane University