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Calypso

 

CALYPSO is Trinidadian folk music that most likely derived from a West African musical/narrative style called kaiso and developed as a way for slaves to communicate. CALYPSO musicians sang in French creole and told stories with their songs–often with off-color lyrics full of double entendres. The style originated in the 1830s and was well-known throughout the Caribbean but only became internationally popular in the 1950s when Jamaican-born Harry Belafonte brought it to America. Enthusiasts accused Belafonte of watering down the genre and pointed to lyrically bolder (and much more awesomely named) artists such as Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow and Roaring Lion as the true “calypsonians.” CALYPSO emphasizes the first half of the 3-2 son clave, putting special focus on the clave’s second beat. Or, if you want to count it out, “1 & 2 AND 3 & 4 &”.

More information:
A guide to traditional CALYPSO: “The best calypso options” | Exetempo: an improvised CALYPSO “war” | Check out this 1987 extempo battle between Relator and Superior | Mighty Sparrow’s “Maria” | You too can dance the Caribbean CALYPSO

 

More information:

National Geographic on Calypso | A guide to traditional calypso: “The best calypso options” | Exetempo: an improvised calypso “war” | Check out this 1987 extempo battle between Relator and Superior | Mighty Sparrow’s “Maria” | You too can dance the Caribbean Calypso

 

Barbados–Landship

“Landship,” a tradition unique to Barbados, developed during the several centuries of British rule as a way for African Barbadians to simultaneously emulate and mimic the strict hierarchies of the British navy. A landship is essentially a Bajan community dance society (“a ship on land”) whose members dress up like British naval officers and support staff and dance in processions like British naval officers did–sort of. The primary musical “engine” of a landship is the tuk band, a drum/fiddle/pennywhistle ensemble based upon British regimental military bands–again, sort of. Landships organize themselves into individual “ships,” named after British vessels, which unite into “fleets” under the leadership of “Lord High Admirals” and other “officers.”

The documentary “Preserving the Ship and the Engine/De Engine and de Ship” asserts that the landship is more than just a way for working class Bajans to mock stodgy colonialists. Instead it presents landship as an historically rich tradition that embodies the effusive spirit of a long-colonized nation while at the same time serving as a practical pillar of Bajan community life.

In class we’re form our own temporary landship, using a makeship tuk band to help us set sail.

More information:
A bit about landship | Watch a landship in action on YouTube | A tuk band hits the street

Barbados–Language

Many people in Barbados speak an inventive hybrid form of English known as Bajan. Speakers of the dialect revel in the playful nature of Bajan phrasing and pronunciation. For example, Bajan speakers pronounce “th” as “d” (such as “dem” instead of “them), leave “to be” out of sentences (“I here” instead of “I am here”) and use the same word three times for emphasis. So, instead of “This music class is great!” a Bajan speaker may say, “Dis music class good good GOOD.”

Barbados–When you go there

LonleyPlanet.com is bullish about Barbados not just because of its white, sandy beaches, but because if you don’t want to shrivel all day in the sun you can find much to do inland. Central Barbados is not only a physically beautiful place full of lush limestone hills and beautiful botanical gardens, but it was also used to be haven for ultra-wealthy plantation owners. Today tourists can visit many majestic plantation houses and learn about Barbados’s colonial, slave-era past.

More information:
WikiTravel on Barbados | Plantation houses aplenty | Going to Barbados? Take the kids!

Barbados–Overview

The island of Barbados had a long history even before the British arrived in 1625 to find it uninhabited, save a number of Portuguese pigs. Amerindians had lived there in about 1600 BC, then the Arawak came–they called the island “Ichiroughanaim”–and then the Caribs, who ruled the roost for several hundred years until they disappeared, likely as a result of their encounters with Spanish and Portuguese visitors (and/or their germs). Somewhere along the way the island picked up the name “Barbados,” which means “The Bearded Ones.” Who or what possessed such a noteworthy nickname? The Caribs who lived there when the Portuguese happened by? The long, hanging roots of a fig tree indigenous to the island? The foam on the surrounding reefs that made the island seem as if it had a beard? Whatever the case, someone on the island had a great beard, and the name stuck.

Early British settlers claimed the land for the King and began to farm tobacco, cotton, ginger, indigo and, eventually, sugar cane. The island soon became a land full of wealthy sugar plantation owners and their African forced laborers. For the next three hundred years only the very wealthiest citizens of Barbados were allowed to vote, ensuring domination by those very wealthy citizens. Only in the 1950s did universal suffrage come to Barbados, with trade union founder, suffrage crusader and official “national hero” Sir Grantley Adams riding the crest of this popular wave to became the island’s political leader. In 1966 Barbados became independent with another “national hero” at the helm: the Right Honourable Errol Walton Barrow.

In the early 1990s when Barbados faced economic crisis it worked out a deal with the International Monetary Fund to share the economic pain among all sectors of the population, rich and poor. As outlined in this “This American Life/Planet Money” report (here’s a pdf transcript), Jamaica took a different approach. Barbados prospered while Jamaica fell into debt.

In 2021 Barbados cast away the British queen and Commonwealth and became a republic, with the triumverate of powerful female leaders — Dame Sandra Mason as President, Mia Motley as Prime Minister, and in near-equal stature, National Hero Rhianna.

More information:
Wikipedia on Barbados | Barbados.org’s history of Barbados | The many national heroes of Barbados