Gertrudis Vásquez

The last elder to share the capeyuye with outsiders

What are the Capeyuye?

One of the best examples of the Negros Mascogos' cultural fusion are the capeyuye, Spirituals sung in Creole English with a clapping beat and call and response style brought by their ancestors from the cultures of West Africa. Blending the traditions of clapping and a cappella singing, the capeyuye are still sung in English despite the tribe no longer understanding that language. The continued use of English in these songs is part of the legacy of honoring those ancestors who escaped from slavery in the United States.

A mural by Irie and Natalia Alejandro Blanco in honor of Gertrudis Vázquez. Gertrudis is depicted wearing the long-sleeved workshirt and long skirt sitting among melons and grains in front of a sky painted with the pink and orange tones of a sunset

Gertrudis Vásquez

The most celebrated matriarch of the capeyuye is Gertrude Vázquez. Her image appears on murals in el Nacimiento and her voice survives in at last two known recordings of her singing the capeyuye and giving interviews. The murals, created specifically to capture the culture of the Negros Mascogos, most prominently feature women as the proponents and protectors of that culture. The art celebrates the work and voices of the women who perpetuate the culture.

Mural in El Nacimiento featuring Getrudis Vásquez and local flore and fauna — A mural depicts important flora and fauna of the landscape that is home to the Negros Mascogos. On the far left, surrounded by flowers is the only human and only black and white image in the mural, a depiction of Gertrude Vázquez.

Few recordings of Gertrude leading the capeyuye exist, and fewer still of the traditional songs exist since her passing. Following the recordings of Gertrude singing for which the elders were reportedly promised 500 pesos for the performance, the documentarians ultimately refused to compensate them. This was during a time of severe drought and before the town had electricity. Even that small amount of reimbursement would have done a lot of good.

This betrayal of outsiders, alongside the subsequent passing of Gertrude Vazquez, has led the community to safeguard their culture and traditions more closely. This safeguarding led some of those outsiders to claim the culture of the capeyuye has come to a sad end. According to the protectors of the tradition, however, the sacred songs are not gone--they just aren't performed for anyone outside their community.