Leslie Loyola draws on the history of Matanzas; a coastal city two hours east of Havana with a large Afro-Cuban population that grew out of generations of slavery. Afro-Cuban culture is deeply influenced by a combination of traditional Yoruba cultural and religious practices brought from West Africa and Catholicism, in the form of Santeria. This religious syncretism informs the lives not only of those who practice it; from the shops selling ritual beads to the buzz of the rumba in the barrios of Matanzas, Santeria has become part of the daily ritual of many in Cuba. Loyola approaches the specific symbolism and legacy associated with this practice. He approaches his work with a communitarian approach, beginning his compositions in the homes of each subject's family, surrounded by objects of the Yoruba religion.