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Comerío.- Around twenty plena fans have joined forces to create a space where they could play their panderos, and at the same time, teach others about this musical genre, popularly known as “the people’s newspaper.”

Every Wednesday, the town of Comerío bears witness to these local rhythms in the meetings of Taller Toca Plena, where free rein is given to the compositions that bring this group of people together.

Teachers, professional musicians, merchants, artisans, farmers, communicators, and producers come together under the same feeling that has attracted people for generations, whether it’s to play, sing, dance, or just enjoy the catchy lyrics.

The project was born more than two years ago, after a group of teachers wanted to try something new; there were several plena groups in town, but they had nowhere to practice.

One of its founders, Arwin Carrucini, explained that, “the point was to have a place to rehearse; here in the countryside, there aren’t many spaces for plena, so we had to go to San Juan or Naranjito.”

“We came up with the idea to do something to play here in Comerío, no strings attached. Those who want to play or learn are free to join. That’s where that idea of making culture and having a space to play music came from,” said the 30-year-old teacher.

According to Carrucini, the project began in a friend’s business.

“We started on a Wednesday; more and more people kept coming, so we kept doing it. We began giving shape to it by offering workshops: many of the members are teachers. It was all very spontaneous, we built it from the ground up thanks to the people that joined and supported,” said Carrucini, who was raised in the El Verde sector of barrio Naranjo.

Although the number of people who participate in the workshops varies, around 20 people have stood firm in their commitment to educate, most of them young adults spanning from 20 to 40 years old.

“On Wednesdays, which is our main meeting day, there’s always a group that comes to play and have a good time. Those that don’t come to play music come to watch and listen. This is the base group, which is composed of people of different ages. The youngest one is 17. But we have boys and girls who have come to the workshops to learn, and even entire families. We include them in what we do, and they’re a part of this,” the workshop director affirmed.

Currently, the meeting point is Galería Urbana, where they welcome “anybody that wants to come, on Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.”

“There’s days when we invite guest artists to teach the workshops, and then we all play together. It’s been very well received. In some way, it is made by the people, for the people. We play plena, but we also offer bomba, dance, musical performance, music writing and composition, güiro and pandero playing, as well as how to make them,” he pointed out.

In fact, there is always a pandero available for whoever wants to play it, and this was established from the beginning of this community-based project.

“One of our goals was to gather enough panderos, in case people without them arrived, they had an instrument they could play. And it’s been great because, even if they don’t have one, they can come and we can lend them one, so they’re able to learn,” he explained.

Meanwhile, he stressed that “plena has always belonged to the people; that’s why it’s stayed alive. There are groups that have elevated it as a genre.”

“We have played in different places, patron saint festivals in several towns, as well as the Festival Jíbaro de Comerío. We’ve done workshops in schools, businesses, wherever we’re invited, whether to play as a group or just to teach,” he stressed.

Moreover, Wilmar Santos Padilla pointed out that the project has been consistent in highlighting women within these spaces.

Santos Padilla, a history teacher, underlined “the importance that this workshop has had for people to come and feel comfortable in this space. The growth has been beautiful.”

“We have encouraged women to join these spaces. There’s five of us in the base group; one of them is 14, but girls as young as six come visit, and it’s great because it’s empowering for them,” said the percussionist.

She highlighted that Taller Toca Plena is special for the town of Comerío.

“It is too important, much more so in the community of Comerío. They call the town ‘cuna de trovadores’ (cradle of troubadours), but it’s the cradle of everything. Many musicians have come from this town. It’s also very important that our base is bomba and plena, and Taller Toca plena has highlighted that representation,” she added.

For details: Taller Toca Plena on Facebook and Instagram.