The Music of Trinidad, the land of calypso

Calypso is to Trinidad as Reggae is to Jamaica. It is a traditional form of music through which the people of Trinidad claim their cultural identity. The popular belief is that the roots of calypso music can be traced back to the time of slavery. It is said to be based on a West African folk music called ‘Kaiso’, its Hausa meaning being similar to the word ‘bravo’. There are however several other explanations for the origin of the word ‘calypso’ but this is the one that seems most feasible.

Originally, calypso music was a type of code used in communication among the slaves who were prohibited from speaking to each other. So, they sang in an African-derived creole so that their masters could not understand what was being said. Often times they would use this medium to ridicule their masters.

With colonization came much change. After having been ruled by the Spanish and then the English, as well as having received a large number of French immigrants, the slaves were greatly impacted by the European influence. So great was the impact of the French though that many of the songs at the time were then sung in a French-Creole dialect. The French are also credited for the introduction of ‘carnival’ to Trinidad. These carnivals involved dancing and masquerading by the wealthy European residents. It was not until after the abolition of slavery in 1834 that the working class was allowed to participate in carnival. They introduced their type of music to the festivities and ever since then, calypso has become a staple at carnival. Many calypso competitions were held during carnival in tents which were erected to facilitate the event and the popularity of the carnival grew so rapidly that eventually it was the working class that was in total control of carnival.

Modern day calypso music has several characteristic features, however, four of the most striking features of the original form of this music are:

▪ Extemporaneous performance – This refers to the spontaneity of the singer in composing lyrics on the spot during a performance.

▪ Picong – This refers to the lyrical battle between singers, often done spontaneously.

▪ Satire – This refers to the witty social and political commentary in the compositions.

▪ Call and response – This is where a chorus responds to a lead singer.

The majority of these features are not as predominant today as they were in the early days of calypso, however, the satirical aspect of the music is still very evident. In addition, recent compositions have also included sexual innuendo as an element of the music. Calypsonians are said to sometimes push the limitations of free speech, often times inciting controversy. No topic is off limits to these musicians as they often sing about political figures, corruption within the society, gender issues and sex. Over the years, some argue that the content of calypso songs has toned down to some extent, but of course, there are those who say otherwise. Nevertheless, calypso music is chiefly for entertainment nowadays and not so much a political tool as it once was.

Other genres have evolved out of mainstream calypso. These include the popular soca which emerged circa 1970s. It is a more up-tempo version of calypso which is said to be a fusion of calypso and Indian rhythms, a blend of the musical traditions of the two major ethnic groups in Trinidad.

Calypso and Soca are now as recognized internationally as reggae. Many persons in foreign countries do covers of calypso songs and also have festivals in their native countries where the music is showcased. Furthermore, during Carnival season in Trinidad, the island is packed with tourists clamouring for the music of Trinidad.

References

1. Best, Curwen. Culture @ the Cutting Edge: Tracking Caribbean Popular Music. University of the West Indies Press: Kingston. 2004.

2. Warner, Keith. The Trinidad Calypso. Heinmann Educational Books Ltd: London. 1983.

3. Davies, Carole Boyce. The Africa theme in Trinidad Calypso. From Caribbean Quarterly Vol. 31, No. 2. June 1985.

4. Origin of Calypso. <http://caribplanet.homestaed.com/101.html>

5. What is Soca? <http://caribplanet.homestead.com/101_Soca.html>

6. Calypso Music. <http://www.answers.com/topic/calypso-music>