1. The Concept of Nation in the Big Drum Dance of Carriacou, Grenada Flashcards
Who is the dance created by? And what does it represent?
Enslaved people. It celebrates family reorganisation and changes in social status. The main focus is to remember lineage and respect ancestors.
Who is the author of this reading?
Lorna McDaniel.
What does the Big Drum Dance most often accompany?
The final funeral observance, wedding receptions, the launching of a new boat or the christening of a new house.
What is the sharing of food called and why is it done?
The sharing of food at the ritual is called ‘saraka’, it is a significant ritual element that is offered to the spirits as well as to the human participants.
How many dance types of the big drum dance are there?
32.
What do contemporary performances include in the musical ensemble?
Three male drummers and several female singer dancers with a leader.
What is the name of the leader of the female singer dancers and what does she do?
The ‘chantwell’ introduces each song and controls the ensemble, like a conductor.
What does the drum trio consist of?
A ‘cutter’ and two ‘boulas’, all open bottom drums with goatskin heads. The ‘cutter’ has a higher pitched snare timbre and sits squarely on the ground whilst the ‘boulas’ are tilted away from the player.
How does the progression of entries work?
They are strictly enforced. The ‘chantwell’ introduces the song, the chorus joins in the restatement and the boulas enter in the next reiteration before the cutter joins the ensemble with a heavy reliance on improvisation. The dancers then join in over a repetition.
What relationship do the cutter and the dancers have?
The cutter drummer keeps their eyes fastened on the dancers feet for cues and rhythmic commands.
How are song types set apart?
Each type is set to a specific rhythmic mode reiterated by the boulas.
Who were the two most famous drummers?
Sugar Adams and Titus Lambert - since their death, some of the drum rhythms have began fading away as there is no longer anybody to teach it to the newer drummers.
How does the dance tie into the peoples origins?
The oldest generations believe that the loss of knowledge of one’s origins may be recuperated through one’s chosen enticement by the boula pattern. Through a musical attraction to a nations rhythm, alienated peoples
How does the dance begin?
The host family perform a ritual to invite the spirit ancestors, as they sing the first Cromanti song, they dance counter clockwise within the ring. This opens the ring for the spirits.
What are the three subdivisions that Pearse arranges the dances of the big drum ritual into?
Nation dances, creole dances and frivolous dances.
