Tuk Music Tradition in Barbados

162 Pages·2016·13.624 MB·English

by  Sharon Meredith

Tuk Music TradiTion in BarBados
For John, my tower of strength
Tuk Music Tradition in Barbados
sharon MerediTh
First published 2015 by Ashgate Publishing
Published 2016 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
Copyright © 2015 Sharon Meredith
Sharon Meredith has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988,
to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Notice:
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are
used on ly for identi fication and ex planation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
ISBN 9781472440273 (hbk)
contents
List of Figures, Maps and Music Examples vii
List of CD Contents ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 introduction 1
2 setting the scene 9
3 early Barbadian Music and the development of Tuk 23
4 Playing Tuk 39
5 historical and contemporary Performance spaces 57
6 The Barbados Landship 85
7 Tuk and Modern Barbadian identity 99
8 conclusion 127
Bibliography 131
Index 145

List of Figures, Maps and Music examples
Figures
1.1 ruk-a-Tuk international Tuk Band 2
3.1 Tuk band 28
5.1 Two shaggy bears performing in a hotel cultural show 59
5.2 Postcard ‘stiltwalker at the race Track, Barbadoes, B.W.i.’ 61
5.3 a modern tiltman performing in a hotel cultural show 62
5.4 a Mother sally performing for tourists 63
5.5 Two green monkeys 64
5.6 st Vincent boom drum band 78
5.7 Jamaican fife and drum band 80
5.8 hybrid Masqueraders band from Montserrat 81
6.1 The Landship on stage 85
6.2 Landship dancing lesson 93
6.3 The Landship dancing the Maypole 94
Maps
2.1 sketch map of the caribbean showing the location of Barbados 10
2.2 sketch map of Barbados showing the parish boundaries and the
major towns 13
Music Examples
4.1 4 March or fassie rhythm – kittle drum 40
4.2 4 March or fassie rhythm – bass drum 41
4.3 #4 Waltz rhythm – kittle drum 41
4.4 #4 Waltz rhythm – bass drum 41
4.5 $4 Tuk rhythm – kittle drum 42
viii Tuk Music Tradition in Barbados
4.6 $4 Tuk rhythm – bass drum 42
4.7 Ah dis muh Inez 50
4.8 De twenty fourth o’ May 50
4.9 Want one shilling 52
List of cd contents
1 The Blue Danube Waltz – ruk-a-Tuk international Tuk Band (1:32)
2 My Grandfather’s Clock – corbin’s Tuk Band (1:53)
3 Troubadours international Tuk Band (0:39)
4 Troubadours international Tuk Band (with saxophone) (1:50)
5 By the Rivers of Babylon – Garrison secondary school Tuk Band (1:24)
6 My Grandfather’s Clock – ruk-a-Tuk international Tuk Band (3:34)
7 Scipio – ruk-a-Tuk international Tuk Band (4:09)
8 Tuk Band Rhythm – Black Pudding Tuk Band (1:48)
9 Landship tuk band 1 (3:38)
10 Landship tuk band 2 (2:44)
11 Landship tuk band 3 (2:06)
12 Landship tuk band 4 (3:19)
13 Landship tuk band 5 (3:39)
14 Landship tuk band 6 (1:48)
15 Landship tuk band 7 (3:45)
16 Landship tuk band 8 (4:04)
17 Landship tuk band 9 (3:17)
18 Tuk band at spring hall (2:05)
19 Tuk Band Rhythm – Poonka (5:37)
20 Tuk Band Rhythm – ruk-a-Tuk international Tuk Band (2:43)
21 Tuk in me head – Poonka (5:41)
22 De Scam – Poonka (6:07)
Tracks 1, 2, 5 and 8 recorded at the crop over Tuk Band competition, 1 august
1998, recorded by sharon Meredith.
Tracks 3 and 4 recorded at oistins Fish Festival, 24 april 2000, recorded by
sharon Meredith.
Tracks 6, 7 and 20 reproduced from Indigenous Tuk Band Music of Barbados, with
permission of ruk-a-Tuk international Tuk Band.
Tracks 9–17 were donated to me in connection with this research by alfred Pragnell.
Track 18 is reproduced from an original recording housed at the British Library
with the reference c881/115, with permission of the British Library.
Tracks 19, 21 and 22 are reproduced from Best of Poonka – King of Tuk, with
permission of Wayne Willock.