Survey of Caribbean Music- "French Speaking"

                                                    Portfolio Chapter Two

In this portfolio, we are focusing on French-speaking countries. Found in chapter two of the Tour de Force, three islands are known as the French Caribbean they are Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti.


-Martinique, located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, is a French island and overseas territory. It is part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. Martinique is home to a diverse range of musical styles. I'll be focusing on Zouk. During the 1980s, the term "zouk" was used to describe popular urban dance parties inspired by the Tour de Force. At a Zouk, the music was upbeat and catchy, which was ideal for dancing. In addition to its ancestor, the Beguine, and the Haitian compas music, Zouk is a hybrid of local and imported music. It's worth noting that Zouk is equally popular in Guadeloupe and Martinique.


                However, let's see what other sources have to say about Creolized music.
The following information about Zouk is available on the website "https://whatatune.com/what-is-zouk-music-a-brief-history/".
 
Zouk originally meant 'to party' in French Antillean Creole, which comes from 'secouer', which means 'to shake' in French. Its origins include Caribbean musical styles like dancehall and folk, as well as dance music. The bélé of Martinique and the méringue of Haiti (compas music) are two major influences on Zouk music. Today, zouk music is truly international, with roots in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.


                                                Kassav' is a famous Zouk band.

Photo taken from" https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.346ee5b7a0e7167b981de61771608c4f?rik=KGxeSVWZb%2b%2f8gg&pid=ImgRaw&r=0 "


To see Kassav in action take a look at the video below




-Our next destination is Haiti, and we'll be looking at the Haitian Meringue. The Haitian Meringue is a creolized version of European ballroom contredanse music, whereas Meringue refers to both a type of music and a dance performed to it, similar to the Tour de Force. Haitian meringue music is made by combining enslaved African dance music with contredanse.

But, let us look at other sources and see what they have to say. From the website " https://www.haitianmusic.net/haitian-folk-music/meringue-dance/" we can learn the following:

  • Meringue, a popular form of art among Haitians, is also known as meringue in Creole and méringue in French.
  • Typically, the lyrics were in Haitian Creole.
  • A small group of musicians performed the music on simple acoustic instruments.
  • Dancers wanted to express that good art and entertainment do not require ornaments, so they did not perform in theaters or with microphones.


 In this style, instruments, artists, and performances include:

Photo taken from https://i0.wp.com/todoporelarterd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Merengue.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1



                                 A prominent Haitian Meringue musician is Webert Sicot
Photo taken from https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.6bb25527b3cbbcf08931d69873043c21?rik=vsnebnbeFi1pBg&riu=http%3a%2f%2fimg.cdandlp.com%2f2014%2f01%2fimgL%2f116413265.jpg&ehk=vQBTPYdLjutg997AdmMKAvZkqjsyQXBqnhlf9y3Rrik%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0


Here is a video of Webert Sicot in action
Video taken from <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4klx74d0jTg?si=eirwjQpE12xIeD4N" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>



Only a moment! Things become better! Creolization has an impact on more than just culture. Let us look at religion. According to https://theconversation.com/what-is-haitian-voodoo/119621 Haitian Vodou emerged from the blending of Catholicism with Western and Central African spirituality. Vodou is also a syncretic religion, which means it combines philosophical, religious, and cultural principles and practices.
 
Some things to know about Haitian Vodou are:
  • There is frequently an association between it and black magic.
  • Additionally, it is associated with Voodoo dolls.
  • Vodou is dangerous and supernatural.
  • Haiti's two official religions are Vodou and Christianity.   


Photo taken from https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.z_UiBteEJ5-Rw_188n4aLAHaDp?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain





References:


Evans, X. (2021, September 9) What is Zouk Music? A Brief History https://whatatune.com/what-is-zouk-music-a-brief-history/

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2016, March 28). merengue. Encyclopedia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/art/merengue

McAlister, E. A. (2022, November 7). Vodou. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vodou


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