August 30, 2005
do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si, si-la-sol-fa-mi-re-do
A free Babalu tshirt to the first person that can tell us exactly how the musical scale shown on the title of this post relates to something Cuban.
When, exactly, does a Cuban hear that sound?
Update: Sheesh. Twenty or so minutes and not one person has chimed in? Parece mentira, caballeros....
Do you all need clues? And I know there has to be a lurker or two out there that knows the answer to this riddle. Come on, give it a shot.
Update II: Ok seems no one gets it. Perhaps it's time for some clues:
Clue 1: "do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si, si-la-sol-fa-mi-re-do" would be heard in the streets of Cuba often, coming, usually, through a flauta (flute). If you sing it quickly a few times, you just might get it.
do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si, si-la-sol-fa-mi-re-do!!! Daniel hits the nail on the head! Whenever this ditty was heard by the average Cuban housewife, she would quickly run to the kitchen, gather up her favorite knives and scissors and head on outside where the afilador would be waiting.
Afiladores were usually on bicycles and had their grinding wheels mounted onto the front of the bike with a contraption that would spin the grinding wheel as they pumped a pedal up and down with their foot:
These afiladores were sharpening experts, honing everything from kitchen knives to scissors to machetes. They told everyone they were coming down their streets by playing "do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si, si-la-sol-fa-mi-re-do" through flutes.
There are still a few afiladores here in Miami. I had a couple knives sharpened to cutting perfection a couple weeks ago. However, this guy doesnt go around the city on bike. He has a nice big van with a small generator and the do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si, si-la-sol-fa-mi-re-do playing through a cassette tape and a small speaker outside the van.
Still, tho, while I dont actually remember the afiladores from Cuba, back in the late sixties and early seventees there were plenty of them here in Miami, and in their traditional retro-fitted bicycles, playing their tune through their flutes.
Posted by Val Prieto at August 30, 2005 09:35 AM
Comments
Okay, la musica que tocaban al empesar de la radio reloj? Wild guess.
Celsa
Posted by: Tati at August 30, 2005 10:01 AM
Celsa,
No. If you read the title quickly, over and over, it might help.
Posted by: Val Prieto at August 30, 2005 10:02 AM
afilador??
Posted by: daniel at August 30, 2005 10:35 AM
ĦEl viandero!
Posted by: George L. Moneo at August 30, 2005 10:35 AM
I believe daniel has got it............Tell him what he has won Bob.
I used to hear that i Cuba when i was young. Those guys were the best at it. Las tijeras would cut trees if you tried lol. My mom would afilar all she could get out of the house.
Funny thing is that you see them here now lol. Is it a pecular sound and refreshing to see around my job.
Posted by: laz at August 30, 2005 10:44 AM
Oh no. I think Val is having an Oh Boy moment.
Let me explain:
See, being a gringa in Miami, at the time not speaking Spanish (let alone Cu'ano), I didn't realise what certain words meant. So for their amusement, my ex-boyfriend's siblings asked me to recite:
Oh Boy
A lot times rapidly. So I did.
Oh Boy. Oh Boy. Oh Boy oh boyohboy...boyo.
I still don't get it.
P.S.: I lied. I get it. But alas, no se un pepino of what the do-re-mi thingie stands for. I'll go with George's answer and say El Viandero, because of "re do" (carnes res?).
Cheers,
Victoria
Posted by: Victoria at August 30, 2005 10:44 AM
Yes, daniel has got it!
That sound is so unique, at least to me, from my childhood. I remember the house almost going into a panic when we heard it. Mom and dad rumaging through drawers for knives, dad heading out back for the machetes and yard tools and his favorite pocket knife.
Music to my ears!
Posted by: Val Prieto at August 30, 2005 10:54 AM
theres one that still passes around my neighborhood, if you are in the area between flagler and 8th, lejeune to 57th you will hear him saturday or sunday
Posted by: daniel at August 30, 2005 10:58 AM
if val or george or anyone else can do this, here is a link form a station streaming covreage on the web about the katrina aftermath, it is awful, i mean just awful, seems like we got off "easy"..
http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_khou&props=livenoad
Posted by: daniel at August 30, 2005 11:39 AM
Val...I loved this one!! however, I don't remember the afiladores...I do remember a "pregonero" that streched the mattresses!!
"ESTIRO BASTIDORES!!!
ask your parents...maybe they remember??
Speaking of "cubanisms"...I got an email today from a friend just "recently arrived from Cuba" explaining that his family in Miami did not have time to put the "shores" up before the hurricane!!
I am guessing he meant the hurricane shutters???
:)
Posted by: carmen at August 30, 2005 11:42 AM
Ok, there's a joke about it.
As you might know, almost all the "sharpeners" or "amoladores" were Spaniards, therefore known as Gallegos (Galicians)Well, it goes like this, that the Galicians had tried to invented the bicycle, but the contraction they got was that strange vehicle used by the "amolador de tijeras". The vehicle was a hybrid between a bicycle and a foot powered sharpening stone. If I find a photo online I will send one to Val....
It was also said that the Galicians invented the "autogiro" (a hybrid between plane and chopper) when they tried to invent the chopper... that they invented the submarine trying to invent the off-shore racer, and that they invented the beret by saving money when making the brimless hat.
Posted by: CB at August 30, 2005 07:49 PM