Big Drum is a genre, a musical instrument, and traditional African religion from the Windward Islands. It is a kind of Caribbean music, associated mostly closely with the music of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Music of Guadeloupe, Carriacou in Grenada and in the music of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
All big drum celebration is accompanied by the boula drum. The word boula can refer to at least four different drums played in the Caribbean music area.
The Guadeloupean boula is a hand drum, similar to the tambou bèlè , and is used in gwo ka and special occasions likes wakes, wrestling matches and Carnival celebrations. It is a hand drum that plays low-pitched sounds and is played single-handed and transversally. [1]
The boula of Carriacou is also a hand drum, now most often made of rum casks. It is also called the tambou dibas, and is used in the Big Drum tradition. [2] [3]
The boula of Trinidad and Tobago accompanies the stick-fighting dance called kalenda , and is a double-headed barrel drum, played open-handed. [4]
The inhabitants of Carriacou perform the "Big Drum", "Gwa Tambu", or "Nation" dance to celebrate their West African ancestors that were brought to the island during slavery. These Big Drum dances are usually performed at "Maroons", also known as village festivals held in spring to call for rain, and fetes, where food and drink are prepared. They can also be danced at wakes and tombstone feasts in honor of dead relatives to lay them to rest, marriage ceremonies, fishing boat launchings, and in the case of ill-health or ill-fortune. On each occasion, the main focus is twofold: remembering lineage and respecting ancestors. The music consists of singing and chanting typically joined by two boula drums and one cutter drum, named Mama, Papa, and Baby, respectfully, as well as shakers and maracas.
This religious tradition used to be practiced in Grenada as well, but was erased by the Yoruba's religious presence on the larger island. While food is prepared during the day in large pots over fire, the actual Big Drum Dance ceremony starts at night. Libations of rum and water, known as "wetting of the ground", are made during the day. This is done to ask for the blessings of the gods and ancestors, and serves as an invitation for them to enter "the dance ring" and join the dance. There is no priest, but instead a chantwell (chantuelle). This is the lead singer of the ceremony, and is usually related to the deceased if it is being performed for a funeral. The chantwell, drummers, and dancers are allowed to enter the dance ring while the community sings and watches from the outside. The dancers are usually women, but occasionally men. Drummers are usually elderly men, known as "old heads." Dancers perform barefoot within the circle and wear African headscarves, white dresses, and winged skirts with African prints.
The "Nation" songs of the tradition have allowed Carriacouans/Kayaks to trace their ancestry to several ethnic groups. (Cromanti, Moko, Chamba, Temne, Hausa, Kongo, Igbo, and Mandinka). These songs are the oldest and usually performed first, with the very first song being "Anansi-O Sari Baba". This song praises the famed Akan deity, Anansi, and asks for the sins of the community to be forgiven, simultaneously venerating the Cromanti ancestors. This is then followed by "Kromanti Cudjoe", another Akan song that awakens the ancestors. Other nation songs follow, honoring the Temne, Hausa, Igbo, Arada, Quail Bay (Bakongo), Moko, Chamba, and Mandinka nations/ancestors. These songs also praise other deities, such as Legba in "Ibole Ibole Woy Yo" (Igbo Nation song where the singers describe pounding red plantain to feed him with, and a dancer moves from side to side, gesturing giving food.), "Arada Dore Mi De" (Arada Nation/Vodun song where singers and dancers ask Dambala and Nu to dance with them and defend them from trickery.), and "Free Ring" (Quail Bay/Bakongo Nation song where no one dances, as it is believed the Bakongo ancestors and the Nksisi prefer to dance alone. This song also pays respect to every singer, dancer, and drummer of the tradition.) "Mawu-Lisa" while not a nation song, calls on the Fon-Ewe spirit of day and night as a kalenda (stick-fight) starts.
Belle and hallecord songs follow the "nation" songs. Unlike the nation songs, which tend to retain their indigenous lyrics, these are sung in Kayak (french) creole, also known as patois. They are a blend of the African and European cultures of the island, and this can be seen in the dances. Frivolous pikes are the last type of song. Also, sung in creole, these are fun folk songs and work songs that anyone is allowed to enter the ring and dance to. Many of them come from neighboring islands (Grenada, Trinidad, Dominica, and Antigua). and "Mawu-Lisa" (Arada Nation/Vodun song for "kalendas" also known as stick fighting.) The Big Drum Dance is concluded with two songs, "In My Own Native Land/Mon Konn Kongo Kon Mwen Vle" and "Bring the Powder".
According to Winston Fleary, famed historian, Big Drum performer and cultural ambassador of Grenada, the first drummer of the Big Drum in Carriacou was Viri Kiri, son of Marie Galante, a Bakongo woman. The song "Kromanti Cudjoe" is named after a Jamaican maroon that had been brought to Grenada. After losing a battle with the British, Kromanti Cudjoe and his friend, Fedon, fled to Carriacou and helped start the Big Drum Dance evolve. Fleary had also traced the Belle Kawe dances to Benin. They had made their way to Haiti via the slave trade before arriving in Carriacou in the 18th century. The spider dance done with the song "In My Own Native Land/ Mon Konn Kongo Kon Mwen Vle" is another salute to Anansi. This song was added to the tradition in 1783 when the British, the new owners of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique, banned drumming in the West Indies. Carriacou's inhabitants did not obey, and composed this song in protest.
Many songs also mention Dahomey, such as "Djerika-o!" and "Hausa Wele", showcasing the African continent's lack of physical borders between various ethnic groups. While the languages that the Big Drum Dance are performed in are no longer understandable by Carriacouans/Kayaks, the tradition is still practiced earnestly.
Gwo ka is the French creole term for Big drum.
The Guadeloupean boula is a hand drum, similar to the tambou bèlè , and is used in gwo ka and special occasions likes wakes, wrestling matches and Carnival celebrations. It is a hand drum that plays low-pitched sounds and is played single-handed and transversally. [1]
Big Drum is played in Saint Kitts and Nevis, alongside a kettle drum, and a fife during Carnival and Culturama celebrations.
Vincentian big drums are traditionally made from tree trunks, but are more often made from rum kegs now. The socially aware or satirical lyrics are usually performed by a female singer called a chantwell , and is accompanied by dancers in colorful skirts and headresses. Big Drum is commonly performed at weddings and other celebrations, especially the launches of boats.
The music of Trinidad and Tobago is best known for its calypso music, soca music, chutney music, and steelpan. Calypso's internationally noted performances in the 1950s from native artists such as Lord Melody, Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow. The art form was most popularised at that time by Harry Belafonte. Along with folk songs and African- and Indian-based classical forms, cross-cultural interactions have produced other indigenous forms of music including soca, rapso, parang, chutney, and other derivative and fusion styles. There are also local communities which practice and experiment with international classical and pop music, often fusing them with local steelpan instruments.
The music of Martinique has a heritage which is intertwined with that of its sister island, Guadeloupe. Despite their small size, the islands have created a large popular music industry, which gained in international renown after the success of zouk music in the later 20th century. Zouk's popularity was particularly intense in France, where the genre became an important symbol of identity for Martinique and Guadeloupe. Zouk's origins are in the folk music of Martinique and Guadeloupe, especially Martinican chouval bwa, and Guadeloupan gwo ka. There's also notable influence of the pan-Caribbean calypso tradition and Haitian kompa.
The music of Guadeloupe encompasses a large popular music industry, which gained in international renown after the success of zouk music in the later 20th century. Zouk's popularity was particularly intense in France, where the genre became an important symbol of identity for Guadeloupe and Martinique. Zouk's origins are in the folk music of Guadeloupe and Martinique, especially Guadeloupan gwo ka and Martinican chouval bwa, and the pan-Caribbean calypso tradition.
The music of Dominica includes a variety of genres including all the popular genres of the world. Popular music is widespread, with a number of native Dominican performers gaining national fame in imported genres such as calypso, reggae, soca, kompa, zouk and rock and roll. Dominica's own popular music industry has created a form called bouyon, which combines elements from several styles and has achieved a wide fanbase in Dominica. Groups include WCK, Native musicians in various forms, such as reggae, kadans (Ophelia Marie, and calypso, have also become stars at home and abroad.
The music of the Lesser Antilles encompasses the music of this chain of small islands making up the eastern and southern portion of the West Indies. Lesser Antillean music is part of the broader category of Caribbean music; much of the folk and popular music is also a part of the Afro-American musical complex, being a mixture of African, European and indigenous American elements. The Lesser Antilles' musical cultures are largely based on the music of African slaves brought by European traders and colonizers. The African musical elements are a hybrid of instruments and styles from numerous West African tribes, while the European slaveholders added their own musics into the mix, as did immigrants from India. In many ways, the Lesser Antilles can be musically divided based on which nation colonized them.
African diaspora religions, also described as Afro-American religions, are a number of related beliefs that developed in the Americas in various nations of the Caribbean, Latin America and the Southern United States. They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam.
The music of Grenada has included the work of several major musicians, including Eddie Bullen, David Emmanuel, one of the best-selling reggae performers ever, and Mighty Sparrow, a calypsonian. The island is also known for jazz, most notably including Eddie Bullen, a pianist, songwriter and record producer currently residing in Canada. Kingsley Etienne, a keyboardist, while the Grenadan-American Joe Country & the Islanders have made a name in country music.
The music of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines includes thriving music scenes based on Big Drum, calypso, soca, steelpan and also reggae. String band music, quadrille, bélé music and traditional storytelling are also popular.
Kaiso is a type of music popular in Trinidad and Tobago, and other countries, especially of the Caribbean, such as Grenada, Belize, Barbados, St. Lucia and Dominica, which originated in West Africa particularly among the Efik and Ibibio people of Nigeria, and later evolved into calypso music.
Gwo ka is a French creole term for big drum. Alongside Gwotanbou, simply Ka or Banboula (archaic), it refers to both a family of hand drums and the music played with them, which is a major part of Guadeloupean folk music. Moreover, the term is occasionally found in reference to the small, flat-bottomed tambourine played in kadri music, or even simply to drum (tanbou) in general.
Carriacou is an island of the Grenadine Islands. It is a part of Grenada, and is located in the south-eastern Caribbean Sea, northeast of the island Grenada and the north coast of South America. The name is derived from the Carib language Kayryouacou.
Calinda is a martial art, as well as a kind of folk music and war dance in the Caribbean which arose in the 1720s. It was brought to the Caribbean by Africans In the transatlantic slave trade and is based on native African combat dances.
Chanté mas and Lapo kabrit is a form of Carnival music of Dominica. It is performed by masquerading partygoers in a two-day parade, with a lead vocalist (chantwèl), who is followed by the responsorial chorus (lavwa), with drummers and dancers dancing backwards in front of the drummer on a tambou lélé. The Carnival has African and French roots and is otherwise known as Mas Dominik, the most original Carnival in the Caribbean.
The word boula can refer to at least four different drums played in the Caribbean music area.
The Southern Caribbean is a group of islands that neighbor mainland South America in the West Indies. Saint Lucia lies to the north of the region, Barbados in the east, Trinidad and Tobago at its southernmost point, and Aruba at the most westerly section.
Praisesong for the Widow is a 1983 novel by Paule Marshall that takes place in the mid-1970s, chronicling the life of Avey Johnson, a 64-year-old African-American widow on a physical and emotional journey in the Caribbean island of Carriacou. Throughout the novel, there are many flashbacks to Avey's earlier life experiences with her late husband, Jerome Johnson, as well as childhood events that reconnect her with her lost cultural roots. The book was reissued in 2021, part of McSweeney's "Of the Diaspora" series highlighting important works in Black literature.
Kromanti dance or Kromanti play is a Jamaican Maroon religious ceremony practiced by Jamaican Maroons. It is rooted in traditional African music and religious practices, especially those of the Akan people of Ghana. The name Kromanti derives from Kormantin where a historical slave fort in the coast of Ghana was located. Many slaves shipped to Jamaica during the Atlantic Slave trade originated from present–day Ghana in West Africa.