WEST INDIAN ESTATE

Music and Dance on the Sugar Plantation

 OCCASIONS WHEN SLAVES SANG
AND DANCE
• On the sugar estate slaves would sing at nights and on weekends to entertain themselves.
• Slaves sang at work to make the burden lighter, they sang after work, while working in and
around their huts.
• They sang lullabies to their children while they drift off to sleep.
• They sang and dance at celebrations which were permitted by the Planters. Celebrations
such as Christmas, crop over and at weekend dances.
• They slaves also sand and dance at wakes and at funerals and when they are worshipping in
secret.
SLAVES SINGING AND DANCING
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE
SLAVES
• Instruments used by slaves include: drums which was made from goat skin after it was dried,
rattles which was made from gourds filled with small stones or seeds.
• The slaves also used flutes made from bamboo, banjos, mouth violins, tambourines, and
xylophones to produce their music.
• Slave dancers sometimes tied rattles to their legs and wrist.
• The people who watched clapped their hands rhythmically as they sang along.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE
SLAVES
 WHY PLANTERS DISLIKE SLAVE
MUSIC
• Planters thought that the slaves music was noisy.
• Planter claimed that the slaves music was bawdy because they did not understand the slaves
language.
• Planters regarded the slaves music as “brutish,” noisy, inferior and this kind of
entertainment could lead to misconduct. This is because they did not understand the slaves
rhythm, language or traditional ways which was different from those of the Europeans.
 FUNCTIONS OF THE SLAVES’
MUSIC
• The drum was used as a powerful means of communication.
• Their music could be used to arouse solidarity among the slaves, and cause a revolt.
• Slaves’ music was used to stimulate unity and preserve their African identity.
• Slaves used their music to mock the whites and undermine the authority of the masters.
• Slave songs tend to shift the focus of the slaves from drudgery of their labour which made
them more productive.
SLAVES SINGING AND WORKING
ON SUGAR PLANTATIONS
 WHY CREOLE SLAVES PREFERRED
EUROPEAN MUSIC
• The slaves born in the Caribbean had no strong line in Africa so they had to accept the racist
view of the white men.
• The knowledge of their African culture was passed down to them through stories from their
parents and grandparents, and some failed to grasp the significance of the cultural heritage.
• They believed the European music was more acceptable and so was encouraged by the
whites to embrace European cultural forms and many of them rejected their African heritage
 WHY EUROPEANS ACCEPTED
AFRICAN MUSIC
• Caribbean born planters accepted African music because they were apart of a two way
creolization process.
• They thought that the music was lively, suitable for dancing and found the harmony pleasing
to the ear.
• They thought that dancers and the costumes the slaves wore were attractive. Example: John
Canoe at Christmas time.
• They found the ceremonies enlightening about African culture.
• Music seemed to make slaves more productive particularly at crop time.
• It kept their minds away from revolts, some masters encouraged their slaves to sing while
they were working in the fields.
JOHN CANOE CHARACTERS
 WHY EUROPEANS SUPPRESSED
THE SLAVES MUSIC
• Slaves music such as drumming was viewed as dangerous and a powerful means of
communication over long distances by the planters.
• To suppress slaves’ music they passed laws banning the use of drums.
• They separated slaves from similar backgrounds to deprive them of the opportunity to
continue sharing in the practice of their African musical forms.
• The planters sought to persuade their slaves to reject African music through the church and
Christian teachings.
• They ridiculed the slaves’ music
• They extended the work day and shortened the free time, so the slaves would be too
exhausted to do anything other than rest.
• Anyone who was found violating the laws was severely punished.
 WHY AFRICAN MUSIC REMAINED
POPULAR
• Artisans continued to make their musical instruments including the drum.
• Many of the festive celebrations and other occasions remained an important aspect of
Caribbean life through the entire period of slavery and beyond. Example: Musical
celebration of Christmas, Old Year/ New Year, Easter, Crop Over celebrations.
• Occasions celebrated with music were funerals, weddings and naming ceremonies.
• John Canoe dance remained popular and African religions like Shango, Kumina, Pocomania
remained vibrant and brightly embellished with their music.