Follow this link to the Antigua Carnival Site
Antiguan Music There are several different musical forms featured
during Carnival. Calypso, the oldest, has its roots in slavery; a common
explanation of its origins is that it began as a way for slaves, who were
forbidden to speak in the fields, to communicate with each other. It is a
polyglot, improvisational form that depends largely upon the skill of a
soloist, (the calypsonian) who weaves the sounds of many cultures into a
lyrical whole. Calypso competitions have long been a highlight of
Carnival. Steel drum music was created when the bamboo
percussion instruments traditionally used to back up calypso were replaced
by hammered steel pans cut from oil drums. Whereas there is no dispute
that the steel pan was developed in Trinidad, the indigenous development
of the steel band in Antigua and Barbuda was an outgrowth of the iron
bands which were prominent at Christmas time. Steel drum music has
been an important part of Carnival since that time, and Antigua is home to
many of the Caribbean's finest steel bands. Soca is a musical form that
grafts the slower beat of American soul music to the upbeat tempos of
calypso. Soca began in the 1970s, and by the middle of the 1980s it had
become an integral feature of Carnival. Another musical form popular on
Antigua is reggae. Although it originated in Jamaica, reggae has been
incorporated into the Antiguan music scene for years.
This page, and all contents of this Web site are Copyright (c) 1996-2010 by interKnowledge Corp., New York, NY. All rights reserved. |
|
It is a ten-day festival
of colorful costumes, beauty pageants, talent shows, and especially good
music. The festivities, which celebrates 