Traditional Folk Forms |
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Gerreh and Dinki-Mini |
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DINKI
MINI, Class 5
Clonmel Cultural Club |
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Both dances are of African origin of the wake tradition usually performed
after the death of a person, and up until the ninth night after the death.
Gerreh/Dinki-Mini sessions are usually held to cheer the bereaved. It is called
Gerreh/Wake in the Western end of the island and Dinki-Mini and Zella in St. Mary and
Portland respectively. |
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Bruckin' Party |
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traditional dance was performed in the past mainly to
celebrate the anniversary of Emancipation from slavery
on the 1st of August, 1838. Bruckin' Party has a retinue
of dancers costumed in Blue and Red headed by Kings
and Queens, Sergeant-Majors, Captains, Grand daughters,
etc., who perform as a sort of contest, especially between
the Kings and Queens of each set. The main movement
of the dance is the dip/kotch of the body using the
feet as the arms move across the chest in an upward
movement and a wheel and turn of the body. Musical accompaniment
is also the drums and vocalization. Bruckin'
Party is found only in the parish of Portland and is
now performed mainly for the JCDC's Annual Festival
of Arts Competitions. |
BRUCKINS'
PARTY
Manchioneal Cultural Group
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Ring Games |
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BOYS'
RING GAMES, Class 3
Zion Hill Primary School |
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Traditional Ring Games were played not only by children but also by adults as
they portrayed happenings in a community with touches of humour and may deal with
situations otherwise taboo in everyday speech.. However, today it is mostly a children's
game of "song and dance", performed in the JCDC's Annual Festival of Arts
competitions. |
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Revival |
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Revival is a religious ritual
resulting from an Afro-European syncretism - the mixing
of African and European cultures. It has two main branches,
Zionism and Pocomania. Zionism is more Euro-Christian
and deals with holy angels and heavenly spirits. Pocomania
deals with earth bound spirits and has stronger African
elements. Revival groups are comprised of Bands' with
a strict hierarchy of leadership. The Central Figure
is a "Mother" when it is a female and a "Shepherd"
when male. Mission grounds where meetings are held are
decorated with holy pictures and biblical symbols, inscribed
or drawn on the ground and the walls. Drums
and tambourines accompany the singing with words some
from hymns or others with words that have very little
meaning, but used to carry the tune. The dance movement
is a forward dip with a stamp of the foot, knees slightly
bent, progressing around in a circle. |
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REVIVAL,
Class 3
Mineral Heights Primary School
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Tambu |
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Tambu groups are found mainly in Trelawny. Tambu today is performed mainly for
entertainment and it has been observed that there is similarity in the dance movements to
that of the 'Bele' of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Drums with singing form the musical
accompaniment. |
ETTU / ETU |
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ETTU
/ ETU |
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An
African retention kept alive by a small group of people
found in the parish of Hanover who claimed Yoruba' (Nigerian)
ancestry. The "Ettu" play is usually performed
on the occasions of weddings, feasts, 'nine night'.
"Shawling", a feature of the dance, is a ritual
of appreciation for the dancer's skill and movements
and forms an integral part of each performance. The
Queen throws a scarf around the neck of the dancer,
who is then ceremoniously dipped back from the waist
for strength, then the shawler raises the dancers arm
in salutation and congratulation. Songs accompanied
with drumming on the kerosene pan, beaten with the bare
hands, form the musical accompaniment. |
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