Juan Carlos Caceres and the African roots of tango

​The African contribution to tango trace back to the legacy of enslaved Africans brought to Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil during the colonial era, and their descendants. Many Africans were forcibly transported to Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the two major cities in the Río de la Plata region, particularly from regions in Central and West Africa, such as what are now Angola and Congo.

Tango and milonga etymology
The very term “tango” may have African roots. Some researchers trace it to the Yoruba word shangó, which refers to a drumbeat or gathering space for dance and music in African traditions
(editor's note: a Congolese musician once told about Tango meaning "time" in a language from the Congo region). Others link it to the Kikongo term tambo, meaning “to gather.” The term “milonga” as well is believed to have African roots, originating from the word mulonga, which in the Kimbundu language (spoken in Angola) means "words" or "news.

The 3 main influences
Juan Carlos Cáceres, the Argentine musician, painter, and musicologist, was a passionate advocate for recognizing the African roots in tango. Cáceres and other historians identified three primary African influences that shaped tango:

- Candombe: the candombe rhythm was foundational to tango’s development. The Candombe is an Afro-Uruguayan and Afro-Argentine music and dance form originating from the drumming traditions of African descendants in the Río de la Plata. This rhythm features syncopation, a key characteristic of tango’s unique beat structure

Candombe in the streets of Uruguay

- Contradanza (or Habanera): The contradanza was popular in Spain and spread throughout Spanish America during the 18th century, mainly in Cuba. The contradanza arrived in Cuba from Europe in the 18th century, primarily introduced by French colonists who fled Haiti during the independence wars. Initially, it was a formal dance with a binary rhythm, but in Cuba, it transformed into the contradanza criolla, adopting a more syncopated rhythm thanks to the influence of African rhythms brought by enslaved Africans on the island. One of the main features of the habanera is its distinctive syncopation, which marks the 2/4 or 4/4 meter with a “slow-quick-quick” pattern. This syncopation creates a fragmented rhythm that probably had a significant influence on tango, giving it its unique character. In the habanera, the off-beat accents mimic drum patterns from West Africa, producing a sense of tension and release in the music—an effect that tango also seeks to achieve.

Cuban contradanza criolla dancers

- Milonga: the milonga rythm was influenced as well by the habanera/contradanza criolla rythm and the payada, a form of sung poetry often accompanied by guitar, common among the gauchos (Argentine cowboys) in the rural Pampas. The payada developed into the milonga campera, an early form of milonga that incorporated guitar and singing. This form of milonga was slower and more narrative, with a 3/4 or 6/8 time signature similar to Spanish folk forms.
Over time, as rural musicians migrated to urban centers like Buenos Aires, this milonga style began merging with urban African and European influences, becoming the faster-paced milonga porteña associated with city life. It adopted the 2/4 or 4/4 time signature and developed a more danceable rhythm, appealing to dancers in both Buenos Aires and Montevideo.

Juan Carlos Caceres and his musical exploration of the roots

Juan Carlos Cáceres (1936–2015) was an Argentine musician, painter, and composer who dedicated much of his life to exploring and celebrating the African roots of tango. Known for his deep, soulful voice and expertise in piano and trombone, Cáceres was a unique figure in the world of tango, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of the genre by highlighting its multicultural origins—especially its African influences, which are often overlooked in mainstream tango narratives. His work, particularly the album Tango Negro, became a cornerstone for its  tango’s history.
At this link on Spotify, you can listen to the album "Tango Negro",
​and here below some tracks including the eponymous Tango Negro. Enjoy!

Sources for the article:
Robert Farris Thompson - Tango: The Art History of Love (2005), Horacio Salas - El Tango (1986),  Marta Savigliano - Tango and the Political Economy of Passion (1995), Jorge Luis Borges - Evaristo Carriego (1930), Néstor Ortiz Oderigo - La música de los negros en el Río de la Plata (1952), Horacio Cárdenas Cáceres - El Tango y Sus Raíces Africanas