The music of the Bahamas is a reflection of generations of both hardship and celebration, mixing and fine-tuning the sounds of Reggae, Calypso, Soca, Merengue, and Goombay to form one unique tropical sound.
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What type of music is played at Junkanoo?
The primary instrument for a Rake’n’Scrape band is something you probably have in your tool shed: a handsaw! It’s played by scraping an object – usually an old knife blade – along the saw’s teeth. The saw might be accompanied by drums, guitar, triangle, or accordion. Reggae originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s.
What is Goombay music in the Bahamas?
Goombay is a form of Bahamian music and a drum used to create it. The drum is a membranophone made with goat skin and played with the hands. The goombay name has also evolved to become synonymous with local Afro-Caribbean music related to calypso.
What island is famous for rake and scrape music?
Cat Island
Rake and scrape music comes from the musical traditions of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), and is characterized by the use of the saw tool, as the primary instrument. It was brought by TCI immigrants to the Bahama islands between the 1920s and 1940s starting in Cat Island and then spreading to others.
What is Bahamas culture?
The Bahamas has a distinct culture which has evolved over generations, from a mixture of mostly African, combined with some British and American influences, which developed into a unique and colourful style of Bahamian self-expression. Bahamians are best described as easy-going, friendly and hospitable.
When did Junkanoo started in the Bahamas?
17th century
Junkanoo, named after the West African John Canoe Festival, originated in the Bahamas around the 17th century as a masquerade. Slaves with their faces hidden under a flour paste, celebrated on Boxing Day and the day after Christmas.
What does Goombay mean in English?
goombay in American English
(ˈgumbeɪ ) noun. a dance of the Bahamas done to syncopated rhythms of drums, maracas, sticks, and improvised instruments.
Who makes Goombay?
Caribbean Bottling Company Bahamas Ltd.
Where did the word Goombay come from?
In the performing arts, Bahamian music developed a distinctive identity called Goombay music. The derivation of the word is West African, from an African drum called “goom-ba”. This early style of music was typical for both song and dance.
What is the most iconic Caribbean instrument?
Perhaps the most commonly recognised Caribbean instrument, the steel drums originated in Trinidad and grew in popularity in the 1940s. It is not uncommon to see this instrument used within street music across the world due to the range of notes that can be made from a single drum.
What are some traditions in Bahamas?
Starting with the goombay music on Boxing Day through the Junkanoo Parade on New Year’s Day, Bahamians dress in masquerade costumes and dance to goombay music. Goombay, the indigenous form of music, is derived from the African slaves who used songs as a form of social commentary and way to hand down traditions.
Who wrote The Bahamas National Anthem?
Timothy Gibson
“March On, Bahamaland” is the national anthem of The Bahamas. Timothy Gibson composed the music and authored the lyrics. This was adopted as the national anthem in 1973, when the country gained independence from the United Kingdom.
What is Bahamas climate?
The climate of The Bahamas is sub-tropical with fairly high mean temperatures and moderate rainfall. Mean annual rainfall varies from about 58 in (1470 mm) to about 34 in (865 mm). Mean daily temperatures fluctuate between 63°F and 90F (17°C and 32°C) with May to October considered the summer months.
What language do Bahamians speak?
English
What makes The Bahamas so special?
The islands of The Bahamas are a tropical hot spot and rank among the best vacation destinations in the world. Their beauty, amazing weather, and the fact that there are so many islands (700 in total) are part of what makes this tropical archipelago special.
How do they dance in the Bahamas?
The Hypnotizing Melody of Goombay Music
Goombay is the official music and dance of The Bahamas. With a tropical calypso-style melody, Goombay is a musical method of storytelling and dancing often performed by The Bahamas’ honored rake and scrape bands.
What is Jonkanoo dance?
Junkanoo is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes of mixed African origin in many islands across the English speaking Caribbean every Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year’s Day (1 January).Dances are choreographed to the beat of goatskin drums and cowbells.
Why is Junkanoo important to Bahamians?
Junkanoo is a Bahamian cultural celebration that includes dance, music, spirituality, and a celebration of freedom. In its purest form, it was how the slaves expressed jubilation from the their lives of captivity.Junkanoo has been an important part of the development of Bahamian culture.
Does Bahamas Goombay Punch have alcohol?
A popular alcoholic beverage in the Bahamas is the Goombay Smash, a rum drink that is made with the soda brand in addition to coconut rum, dirty rum, brandy, and pineapple juice.
What is Jamaican folk music called?
reggae
Ska. Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues.
What is the most popular instrument in Jamaica?
The most common reggae instruments are:
- drums.
- bass guitar.
- electric guitar (many bands have both a rhythm guitar and lead guitar player)
- keyboard.
- lead vocals.
- horn section (or synth horns)
