Roots of Miami's tradition of banging pots, pans to celebrate goes back centuries
MIAMI - It's so Miami.
Whether it's to celebrate a victory or done as a form of protest, people taking to the streets banging pots and pans is a thing.
"We have seen here in Miami when the Marlins won the World Series, when the Heat won the Championship, Cuban Americans taking to the streets," said author and Cuba scholar Andy Gomez.
Noisily banging pots and pans in protest, we've seen lots of that in Cuba recently. Gomez said he was not surprised.
"We are very passionate, whether we are mad or we are happy," he said.
So what is the origin of the pots and pans tradition? Why pots and pans? Is it uniquely Hispanic? Gomez said kind of, but it goes much deeper.
"You can go back to the 16th and 17th century and the influence of the African slaves in Cuba and parts of the Caribbean as well when they brought out the pots and pans and used them," he said. "I dare say the African influence through slaves throughout the entire Caribbean plays the key role in using pots and pans."
Tuesday night it will be up to Jimmy Buckets and the Heat to pull out the win and set in motion a form of celebration that has deep roots in our diverse culture.
"There will be people in the street driving with one hand on the horn and the other on people by the window with the pots and pans, the bigger the better," said Gomez.
Miami police, along with members of the Florida Highway Patrol and Miami-Dade police, will be out in force with stepped-up patrols. They say for those going out have fun but stay safe.
