Creolization: The French - Speaking Caribbean

 As stated in prior blogs, creolization is the blending or mixing of cultures to form something new and includes the aspects of music, food, dance, religion, and much more. In chapter 2 of Tour de Force, the three major countries discussed as a part of the French-Speaking Caribbean are Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. There are several examples of creolization discussed; however, only 2 examples will be considered.

One example of creolization in this particular section of the Caribbean is the Haitian meringue. Gangelhoff and LeGrand (2019) describes Haitian meringue as "a creolized version of the contredanse music of European ballrooms" (p.164). It is a mixture of contredanse and the dance music of Africans (enslaved). Key instruments associated with this form of music are the piano, violin, and flute (Gangelhoff & LeGrand, 2019). 

Figure #1 - shows a group singing and dancing to meringue.

Source: A screenshot taken from Merengue Haitian, Havana, 2012 - YouTube 

Video #1 - Haitian meringue

Source: YouTube

This particular video was chosen because the instruments of meringue can be clearly heard (the flute, violin, piano, etc.).

Another example of creolization mentioned in Chapter 2 of the text is Beguine, as known as Biguine. Gangelhoff and LeGrand (2019) articulates that Beguine is the the most famous style of music from Martinique. Music played at a zouk (popular urban dance parties) was "an amalgamation of a wide variety of local and imported musical styles" (Gangelhoff & LeGrand, 2019, p. 140). Beguine is one of the musical styles played at a zouk. According to the authors of Tour de Force, some of the instruments that often appear are the clarinet, trombone, guitar and upright bass. 

Figure #2 - shows a photo of Alexandre Stellio, a Biguine artist whom was a native of Martinique and went to Paris to further his musical career

Source: (Discogs, n.d.)

Video #2 - A si pare

Source: YouTube

This particular video was chosen because the instruments used in Beguine or Biguine can be clearly heard.

Furthermore, an outside example of creolization is Haitian Vodou. Apter (2002) expresses that Haitian Vodou is a result of creolization and is an African diasporic religion. Vodou is a faith of slavery which enslaved people turned to when they were brutalized; therefore, it was considered a threat by French slave owners (Polyné & McAlister, 2017). Polyné  and McAlister (2017) states that in Haitian Vodou there is neither hell or heaven.

Figure #3 - shows a painting of a Vodou Ceremony around a tree

Source: (Dunn, 2021)

Video #3 - Inside Haiti's Voodoo Ceremonies | Developing News

 

Source: YouTube

This specific video was chosen because it uses videos and photos from Haiti. It also gives great insight on what occurs at Voodoo ceremonies, and confirms that black magic is of a different culture than Haitian Voodoo.

References 

Apter, A. (2002). On African origins: creolization and connaissance in Haitian Vodou. American Ethnologist, 29(2), 233-260.

Discogs. (n.d.). Alexandre Stellio. Discogs. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1379220-Alexandre-Stellio

Dunn, M. (2021). Vodou Ceremony Around Tree, 1980s. Haitian Art Society.  https://haitianartsociety.org/gerard-valcin-vodou-ceremony-tree

Polyné, M., & McAlister, E. (2017, April 19). Haiti and the Distortion of Vodou. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/17/opinions/believer-haiti-vodou-polyne-mcalister/index.html