Bamboula

Bamboula

Percussion instrument
Classification	Membranophone
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	211.212.1 (Cylindrical drums)

A bamboula is a West African-derived rhythm, dance, and percussion instrument or type of drum made from a rum barrel with skin stretched over one end. ^[1] It is also a dance accompanied by music from these drums.

Etymology

The term is derived from 2 languages spoken in Portuguese Guinea:

• the Sarar or Sadal, ka-mombuloñ;(probably Serer language)
• Bola (Bwlama, Juan or Jual) word, kam-bumbulu (probably Jola-Fonyi)

Both which mean drum ^{[2] [3]}

As a dance

Bamboula

Native name	Bamboula
Etymology	Jola-Fonyi: Drum Serer: Drum
Genre	Folk music
Tempo	3+3+2 pattern
Instrument	Bamboula drums
Origin	West Africa, Central African Republic region
Related dances	Bélé Calinda Capoeira

Originating in Africa, the bamboula form appears in a Haitian song in 1757 and bamboula became a dance syncopation performed to the rhythm of the drum during festivals and ceremonies in Haiti (then Saint-Domingue). It was then exported to the United States (notably Mobile, Alabama, and the Virgin Islands) through Louisiana, by the slaves who were deported to New Orleans ^{[4] [5] [6]} during the 18th century with the arrival of the displaced French settlers of the island of San Domingo especially after the Haitian Revolution. The slaves congregated on the Congo Square to the edge of the area of the French Quarter of New Orleans to dance the bamboula. From the fear of inciting insurrection, on Aug. 8, 1672, Gov. Jorgen Iversen banned bamboula dancing on the island of St. Thomas ^[7]

As a rhythm

The "bamboula rhythm" is foundational to New Orleans music, including jazz and second line. It is characterized by a 3+3+2 polyrhythmic pattern. ^[2] Stanton Moore referred to it as the Haitian cinquillo. ^[8] "Moore wrote that this Mardi Gras Indian rhythm (the bamboula "Haitian bell rhythm") can be traced back to the Indians' Haitian roots. Similarly, Moore referred to the 3+3+2 pattern (the bass drum rhythm in Figure 2) as the Haitian tresillo." -Robert J. Damm ^[2]

Title page of "Bamboula", a work for piano by the Franco-Louisianian Louis Moreau Gottschalk.

In 1848, the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and whose maternal grandmother was a native of Saint-Domingue, composed a piece entitled Bamboula, the first of four Creole inspired piano works known as his Louisiana Quartet.

For the 1848 composition by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, see Bamboula (Gottschalk).

As an ethnic slur

In the present-day French language, the word bamboula has become an ethnic slur, directed at black people. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

References

1. Valdman, Albert (1998). Dictionary of Louisiana Creole. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. ISBN   978-0-253-33451-0.
2. Damm, Robert (1 July 2015). "Remembering bamboula". Percussive Notes. Mississippi State University Scholars Junction. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
3. Johnston, Harry (1977). A comparative study of the Bantu and semi-Bantu languages. New York: AMS Press. p. 753. ISBN   040412092X.
4. Society of Arts and Crafts (1919). Theatre Arts. New York: Theatre Publications, Inc.
5. Federal Writers' Project (1947). Louisiana: A Guide to the State. New York: Hastings House. pp. 98, 279. OCLC   1113838028.
6. Courlander, Harold (December 2002). A Treasury of Afro-American Folklore: The Oral Literature, Traditions, Recollections, Legends, Tales, Songs, Religious Beliefs, Customs, Sayings and Humor of Peoples of African American Descent in the Americas. Marlowe Company. pp. 94–95. ISBN   978-1-56924-501-9.
7. Davis, Olasee (10 September 2018). "Bamboula dancing's rich history in the V.I. and beyond". The Virgin Islands Daily News.
8. Moore, Stanton (2005). Take it to the street: a study in New Orleans Street Beats and Second-line Rhythms as applied to funk. s.l.: Carl Fischer, LLC. p. 40. ISBN   9780825857133.
9. "Justice for Theo: 'Police abuse is an everyday thing'". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
10. Amiri, Maral (22 August 2007). "Un enseignant condamné pour avoir appelé son élève " bamboula "". www.afrik.com. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
11. DH.be. ""Bamboula, rentre chez toi, sale nègre"" (in French). Retrieved 2017-08-02.

External links

• Bamboula Dance Drums (includes audio sample), Smithsonian Global Sound.
• Bamboula Dance, Sonny Watson's StreetSwing
• Morris, Ayesha (February 25, 2006). "The Power of Dance: Bamboula has deep and strong ties to African heritage, island history and freedom fight". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Archived from the original on March 10, 2006. Retrieved 2009-05-20.