Creolization in Caribbean Music - Dutch
A few instances of creolization in the music of the Dutch-speaking Caribbean are described in the textbook Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of the Caribbean.
The Antillean waltz from Curaçao is just one illustration the literature offers. The European, Spanish, and Viennese waltzes influenced the development of the Antillean waltz, a distinctive fusion of the classic waltz and Caribbean syncopation. This creole transformation of the Antillean waltz is thoroughly described by authors Christine Gangelhoff and Cathleen LeGrand. At dance events for the European, Dutch, Sephardic, and Venezuelan communities, domestic servants on the island frequently provided music. They produced the music by employing the ka'i òrgel and the wiri instrument, which gave the imported waltzes recorded on the ka'i òrgel a distinctive rhythmic syncopation. The Antillean waltz most likely developed as a result of this accompaniment.
Below is a photo of a ka'i òrgel used to accompany the music:
Here is a picture of Wim Statius Muller, a pianist, and composer from Curaçao who has earned the moniker "Curaçao's Chopin" for his romantic piano compositions. He has received two of the greatest accolades given to those with Dutch nationality as a result of his relentless efforts in maintaining Curaçao's classical music, according to https://korsoutadushi.com/wim-statius-muller-the-curator-of-curac%CC%A7aos-classical-music/?lang=en.
Above is a video of Muller performing the Antillean Waltz titled Nostalgia, in which you can clearly hear the unique pattern of the music, simply listening to this music will leave you with a feeling of peace and a smile on your face.
Religion in the Dutch Caribbean is a further manifestation of creolization in this region. In the late 16th century, Jews in Portugal escaped the onset of the Inquisition, according to Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of the Caribbean (Gandelhoff and LeGrand, 2019). According to the website https://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Cura-ao-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html, the history and methods used to propagate religion throughout the region are detailed.
Here is an image of how religious beliefs are distributed within the Dutch Caribbean
Above is a video that demonstrates how religion in the Dutch Caribbean has been calculated since 1900, I chose this video solely for quantitative data purposes.
The language referred to as
Papiamento or Papiamentu is one last instance of creolization in the Dutch Caribbean. According to the website http://www.afropedea.org/papiamento-papiamentu, it is an Iberian-based creole language used in Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire. The word "Papiamento" is derived from the Portuguese verb "papia," which means "to speak." Mento, also spelled mentu, refers to a method of action. Like African languages, Papiamento uses tones. Three tones identify the language. Gender is not taken into account.
Below is an image showing words found in the Papiamento vocabulary.
References
Dushi, K. ta. (2017, November 20). Wim statius muller: The curator of curaçao's classical music. Kòrsou Ta Dushi - Bib'é. Stim'é. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://korsoutadushi.com/wim-statius-muller-the-curator-of-curac%CC%A7aos-classical-music/?lang=en
Gangelhoff, C., & LeGrand, C. (2019, December 31). Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of The Caribbean. Sound Caribbean.
Papiamento papiamentu - Afropedea. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2022, from http://www.afropedea.org/papiamento-papiamentu
Religion and expressive culture - Curaçao. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Cura-ao-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html
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