Creolization: Music of the French Caribbean

5th March 2022

Professor Gangelhoff 

As noted earlier in this blog, creolization is the mixing or blending of cultures to form something new; this can be in music, dance, food, etc. In Tour de Force, chapter 2 focuses on French Caribbean music in countries such as Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique; and this blog will focus on examples of creolization used in French Caribbean music. One example of creolization in Haiti is the Haitian méringue. According to Gangelhoff and LeGrand (2019) is a creolized version of contradance music with the dance music of enslaved Africans. Instruments associated with méringue are a lute, guitar, horn section, tanbou, piano. The piano, violin, and flute are played in cosmopolitan settings (Gangelhoff & LeGrand, 2019).

The picture below was taken in Haiti and it shows a cultural Haitian group dancing and singing to meringue, in Havana Cuba. 

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

Here's a video clip showing the performance of the Haitian cultural group, predominantly females 

dancing to a meringue song. In this video the males are seen in the back beating the tanbou, playing the 

electric guitar., which are key instruments in méringue.

Video taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJLdngKn23s

Another example of creolization found in chapter 2 is Biguine; the most famous musical style of Martinique and It fuses Bèlè and 19th-century French ballroom dance steps with African rhythms. According to the book, beguine :(orchestral) “keeps the syncopated rhythms and percussive flavors of bèlè and adds melodies played by clarinet and trombone, some instruments that often appear are strings such as guitar and upright bass” (Gangelhoff & LeGrand, 2019). 

Here's a photo of a biguine artist, name Artie Shaw

Photo was taken: https://www.deezer.com/en/album/6259615

Here's a video of Artie Shaw and the group singing Beguin The Beguine (Cole Porter). In the video, what's 

noticeable is the trombone, trumpet and clarinet. 

Video is taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCYGyg1H56s

An outside example of creolization in food comes from Martinique, the Accras de Morue. This dish comes origins from Africa and the French West Indies. According to Dream Yacht Charter (n. d), “Accras de Morue (also knowns as Marinades) are crisp, tender fritters traditionally made with salt cod and local peppers for heat, mixed with a batter and deep-fried into golden, delicious balls of goodness.”

Here's a photo of Accras de Morue (It looks very delicious and yummy!)

photo was taken from: https://www.garlicandzest.com/accras-de-morue/

Here's a video below of how to make this delicious meal. Notice the bell peppers, and the use of different spices.

References

Gangelhoff, C., & LeGrand, C. (2019, December 31). Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of The Caribbean. Sound Caribbean.

Martinique dishes: Creole cuisine to try. Dream Yacht Charter. (2020, June 18). Retrieved March 5, 2022, from https://www.dreamyachtcharter.com/creole-cuisine-to-try/