Tambu (music)

For other uses, see Tambu (disambiguation).
Tambu
Traditional Tambu drum
Native name
ntambu (West-Kongo)
Etymologytambor (Spanish)
Other namesBari
Cultural origins16th Century Africa
Typical instrumentsChapi  • Bari
Fusion genres
Afro-Cuban Jazz  • Tumba
Local scenes
Curacao  • Bonaire  • Aruba
Other topics
Music of Curaçao  • Music of the former Netherlands Antilles

Tambu (also tambú) is a drum, music genre and dance form, found on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, and is a major part of the Dutch Antillean music.[1] On Bonaire, it is also known as bari. Curaçaoan tambu is a major part of that island's culture, and is there a genre that is considered muziek di zumbi (literally, spirit music, referring to music of African origin), and is accompanied by instruments like the wiri, agan and triangle. The word tambu derives from the Spanish word for drum, tambor.[2]

The origins of Tambú can be traced back to the early 17th century, where a large number of African slaves arrived in Curaçao from Angola. The ritual was first associated with the Curaçao style of stick fighting called kokomakaku, where the Tambú referred to the rhythms played by the drummer (called a tamburero) on a single drum (also referred to as tambú).[3][4] Since then, the performance has changed in congruence with the historical circumstances of the Curaçao island.

Tambu can refer to the small drum on which the music is played, the dance that accompanies the music, or the event where the music and dance take place. In modern tambu, the lyrics are usually in the Papiamento language and are sung along with a chapi (hoe), the tambu drum and sometimes other singers, while the audience claps to the rhythm.[5] The tambu rhythm is complicated and is passed down orally from generation to generation. Tambu consists of two beats; sla habri and sla será, the open and closed beat respectively. These beats alternate to create a musical dialogue. The lead vocalists are known for their skilful wordplay when delivering the performance's message.[6] Additionally, there are two types of tambu music; telele, which is a long, slow rising and falling melody, and tambu itself, which is faster paced and shorter in duration.[7]

  1. ^ Nettl, Bruno; Miller, Terry E.; Stone, Ruth M.; Williams, Sean; Porter, James; Rice, Timothy (1998-01-01). The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Southeast Asia. Taylor & Francis. p. 994. ISBN 9780824060404.
  2. ^ West, Alan (2003-01-01). African Caribbeans: A Reference Guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 150. ISBN 9780313312403.
  3. ^ Jong, Nanette de (2010). "The Tambú of Curaçao: Historical Projections and the Ritual Map of Experience". Black Music Research Journal. 30 (2): 197–214. doi:10.5406/blacmusiresej.30.2.0197. ISSN 0276-3605. JSTOR 10.5406/blacmusiresej.30.2.0197.
  4. ^ Daniel, Yvonne (2011-12-15). Caribbean and Atlantic Diaspora Dance: Igniting Citizenship. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03653-8.
  5. ^ Broek, Aart G. (2007). "Ideology and Writing in Papiamentu: A Bird's Eye View". Journal of Caribbean Literatures. 5 (1): 1–20. ISSN 1086-010X. JSTOR 40986314.
  6. ^ Allen, Rose Mary (2012). "Music in Diasporic Context: The Case of Curaçao and Intra-Caribbean Migration". Black Music Research Journal. 32 (2): 51–65. doi:10.5406/blacmusiresej.32.2.0051. ISSN 0276-3605. JSTOR 10.5406/blacmusiresej.32.2.0051. S2CID 191353684.
  7. ^ Brushaber, Susan; Greenberg, Arnold (2001-10-01). Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao Alive!. Hunter Publishing, Inc. p. 242. ISBN 9781588432599.