Tambu: Curaçao's African Caribbean Ritual and the Politics of Memory Flashcards
What is Curaçao economically, politically and socially a part of?
After WW2 it became a part of the Netherlands Antilles, but after the dissolution of that in 2010, it is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
What is the population of Curaçao?
140,000. It is the largest island of the Dutch Caribbean.
What are the main languages spoken?
Dutch may be considered the ‘official’ language, but Papiamento (an indigenous creole blend of Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and West African languages) is also popular. As are Spanish and English.
When is the Tambu season?
November to January.
What is the religion that Tambu served?
Montamentu.
What are the issues of Tambu?
It was started during slavery as a way for the slaves to appreciate their ancestors. This gave it legal and religious disapproval during slavery, driving it underground. The church and state continue their denouncement of Tambu, meaning it still has only a very limited following.
What is the origin of Tambu?
It has been traced to being of Angolan influence after they arrived on the island, developed from an Angolan stick fighting tradition.
Typically, how does the ritual of Tambu begin?
It’s announced by a lead singer, called a ‘pregon’ who calls people over to announce the beginning with a short a capella introduction called ‘deklarashon introduktorio’. This signals the chorus or the ‘corp’, accompanying musicians and audience participants that the Taumbu is about to begin.
What is the purpose of the ‘deklarashon introduktorio’?
To set the tonal centre that the Tambu can follow, to introduce melodic and rhythmics motifs of the piece coming up and to specify, through text, the title or plot of the upcoming Tambu,
What is the structure of the Tambu?
It reflects a binary form with the opening section being the ‘habri’ and the closing section being the ‘sera’. They can be played as many times each as the ‘pregon’ wants, but they are always presented as a pair and in that order.
What is the ‘bari’?
A drum that keeps the pulse of the piece. As governmental forces pushes Tambu further underground, the drums were made to be lighter and more portable to carry between secret locations. Household items such as tables and chairs were turned into a bari.
What is a ‘heru’?
A collection of iron instruments that would be used to make polyrhythmic material. Many caribbean musicians would use the ‘heru’ as a time keeper, but in Tambu it has a wider role and due to it’s ability to creates pitches is also used to enhance the melody.
What is the relationship between the heru and the bari?
In the habri, the heru is the timekeeper whilst the bari drummer is free to improvise on top. In the sera section, the roles are reversed.
What is the importance of the habri?
The pregon introduces the main text and melody of the Tambu whilst the audience, without any applauding and only with straight concentration, listen carefully.
What connects the habri and the sera?
When the pregon gives a hand signal, a vocal call called the ‘yamada’ would move into the ‘sera’ section.
