Creolization in Caribbean Music - "French Speaking"

Portfolio Chapter Two

Hey guys, welcome back !! Continuing with my theme of the Creolization of Caribbean music, I will write about it in today's blog. Instead of focusing on English-speaking countries, we are focusing on French-speaking ones this time.  Found in chapter two of the tour de Force, three islands are known as the French Caribbean they are Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti.

1. Located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, Martinique is an island and overseas territory of France. It belongs to the group of islands known as the Lesser Antilles. Although there are many types of music that are present in Martinique I will be focusing on Zouk. The word "zouk" was a term for popular urban dance parties during the 1980s, in reference to the Tour de Force. At a Zouk, the music played was upbeat and catchy, which were great characteristics for dancing. In addition to its ancestor, the Beguine, and the Haitian compas music, Zouk is a blend of both local and imported music. Note, that Zouk is just as popular in Guadeloupe as it is in Martinique.

However, let's look at what other sources have to say about this Creolized music.

from the website "https://whatatune.com/what-is-zouk-music-a-brief-history/" we can learn the following about Zouk.

• Zouk originally means 'to party' in French Antillean Creole, which derives from 'secouer', which means 'to shake' in French.
• Among its origins are Caribbean musical styles such as dancehall and folk, as well as dance music.
• The bélé of Martinique as well as the méringue of Haiti(compas music) are two great influences on Zouk music.
• Today, zouk remains truly international music, with roots in Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.

The instruments, artists, and performances that fit this style are the following:

The photo was  taken from "https://www.discambiance.fr/product/zouk-camping-pb-choeurs/"

The photo was taken from  "https://www.france.fr/en/martinique/article/zouk-fever"

The photos above show an example of Zouk in action, as well as some of the instruments used in Zouk which are usually brass, synthesizers, guitar, bass, gourd shakers, congas, drums, and tumbas, along with a rhythm section.

Kassav' is a famous Zouk band

The photo was taken from "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFRsJSL9aFLh0fniWEoq9sQ"

To see Kassav at work, take a look at the video below

The video was taken from " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd3hjxxcTzw"

I don't know where to start... whether with the group or the song. Kassav' is a group I have been following since I was like 17 after my father introduced them to me. With that being said to me their music is Flawless hence I can proudly use them as an example of perfection in Zouk music lol. For starters, it brings back the early Zouk music, where the lyrics were sung in Creole french. In addition, you can feel the upbeat and catchy lyrics, throughout this song, which are two major factors of Zouk music. Furthermore, the only reaction one can have to this song is dance, even if it is a small head bop.  Thus, this is why I would say that this song and artist fit the Zouk genre. 

     2.    Our next destination is Haiti, and with that being said we are going to look at The Haitian Meringue.  The Haitian Meringue is a creolized version of the contredanse music of European ballrooms, while Meringue is both a type of music and the dance performed to it, in reference to the Tour de Force. Enslaved African dance music is merged with contredanse to create meringue music in Haiti.

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:

• A form of art that many Haitians hold dear, meringue can also be used interchangeably as meringue in Creole and méringue in French.
• Typically, Haitian Creole was the language of the lyrics.
• The music was played by a few musicians on simple acoustic instruments.
• Dancers wanted to say that good art and entertainment don't require ornaments, so it wasn't performed in theaters or with microphones.

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

The Photo was taken from "https://www.areitoarts.com/resources" 

The photo was taken from "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJLdngKn23s"

From the photos above we can see the instruments of The Haitian Meringue which are the keyboard, piano, guitar, saxophone, and so on. In addition, we can also see a photo of the dance taking place. 

Webert Sicot  is a prominent  Haitian Meringue musician 

The photo was taken from " http://www.thejukeboxrebel.com/webert-sicot"

Here is a video that shows Webert Sicot at work

The video was taken from "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdMscto_DI0"

For starters, This is my first time hearing about this particular genre, as well as the music that comes with it. I really think I would have to check it out some more, because I really like the way the strong is structured in terms of the melody and harmony, with the instruments. I also noticed that the lyrics are sounding like creole, which I expected due to the country of origin. 

Just a moment! Things get better! In addition to cultural aspects, creolization affects other aspects as well. Let's look at religion. According to https://theconversation.com/what-is-haitian-voodoo-119621 As a result of the blending of Catholicism with Western and Central African spirituality, Haitian Vodou was born.  In addition, Vodou is also a Syncretic religion, meaning it Integrates philosophical, religious, or cultural principles and practices.

Some points to know about Haitian Vodou are:

• There is often a connection between it and black magic.
• In addition, it is associated with Voodoo dolls
• The practice of vodou is dangerous and supernatural
• Haiti has two official religions: Vodou and Christianity.  

The photo was taken from " https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/explore-timeless-world-vodou-haiti-180963673/" 

The Video below talks about what Haitian Vodou is.

This video was taken from "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpeLdXeIbwA" 

Choosing this video based on the following reasons. For starters, it gave a background about where Haitian Vodou originated. In addition, it gives insight into some of the practices, as well as presents it in practice. 

References:

Dudley, S. (2019, January 8). zouk. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/zouk

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

Dubois, L. (2001). Vodou and History. Comparative Studies in Society and History, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/comparative-studies-in-society-and-history/article/abs/vodou-and-history/EF314A045BC18EA1ADC90A032B1F770C