Creolization In Caribbean Music
When you hear the word "Creole" you probably think of the language, which is a mix of different languages. Creolization on the other hand is a process in which elements of various cultures come together and create a new and unique culture. Creolization can present itself in the form of languages, food, religion, dance, and music. Once the Europeans discovered the Caribbean islands, they brought with them slaves from Africa, a continent that has numerous cultures, to work on the plantations. Not only did African slaves come, but so did workers from India and China. With the presence of the diaspora, the Caribbean was introduced to many new cultural practices such as music styles and in the book Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of the Caribbean by Christine Gangelhoff and Cathleen LeGrand, there is one style called Chutney that is a blend of "Caribbean and East Indian cultures" (Gangelhoff and LeGrand, 20). Creolization can be thought of as inclusive and in my o...