List of Caribbean folk music traditions

This is a list of folk music traditions, with styles, dances, instruments and other related topics. The term folk music can not be easily defined in a precise manner; it is used with widely varying definitions depending on the author, intended audience and context within a work. Similarly, the term traditions in this context does not connote any strictly-defined criteria. Music scholars, journalists, audiences, record industry individuals, politicians, nationalists and demagogues may often have occasion to address which fields of folk music are distinct traditions based along racial, geographic, linguistic, religious, tribal or ethnic lines, and all such peoples will likely use different criteria to decide what constitutes a "folk music tradition". This list uses the same general categories used by mainstream, primarily English-language, scholarly sources, as determined by relevant statements of fact and the internal structure of works.

These traditions may coincide entirely, partially or not at all with geographic, political, linguistic or cultural boundaries. Very few, if any, music scholars would claim that there are any folk music traditions that can be considered specific to a distinct group of people and with characteristics undiluted by contact with the music of other peoples; thus, the folk music traditions described herein overlap in varying degrees with each other.

The Caribbean music area includes all the islands of the Caribbean, including Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Anguilla, Martinique, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe and Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, the mainland South American countries of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana are generally grouped with the Caribbean countries, as is the non-Caribbean island nation of the Bahamas. The island of Bermuda is not Caribbean, and its folk music is little studied; for convenience, it is included herein though it may or may not be typical of the Caribbean music area.

Country	Elements	Dance	Instrumentation	Other topics
Antiguan and Barbudan[1][2]	benna - iron band	Highland fling - quadrille	banjar - bass drum - boompipe - kettle drum - toombah - triangle	Old Time Christmas Festival
Aruban	See Dutch Antillean	–	–	–
Bahamian[3]	ant'em - goombay - junkanoo - rake-and-scrape - rhyming spiritual - ring-play - shape-note	quadrille - ring-dance - Heel-Toe-Polka	goombay - guitar - maraca - saw - banjo - accordion - Harmonica - cowbells - Trumpet	Obeah
Barbadian[4]	tuk band	hornpipe - Jean and Johnnie - jig - march	banjo - bones - bow-fiddle - calabash - cymbal - guitar - pump - rook jaw - shak-shak - shukster - snare drum - triangle - tum tum	crop over - Landship - tea meeting
Bermuda	ballad	Gombey	bagpipe - fife - gombey - guitar - kettle drum - snare drum
Bonaire	See Dutch Antillean	–	–	–
Carriacou	See Grenada	–	–	–
Cayman Islander[5]	Christmas carol - serenade		accordion - drum - fiddle - grater - mouth organ	Batabano - Pirate's Week
Cuban[6][7][8][9][10][11]	afro - - bembé - bolero - bunga - canción - chambelona - changüí - cierre - cinquillo - cocoyé - criolla - décima - diana - fragaya - guaracha - guajira - habanera - kiribá - lloraos - martillo - montuno - nengones - pregón - punto guajiro - repique - rumba - salamaleco - son - sucu-sucu - tonada - toque - tumbao	areito - bembé - chuchumbé - columbia - contradanza - danón - guaguancó - guaracha - makúa - makuta - maní - mañunga - masón - quadrille - rumba - sucu-sucu - tango congo - yambú - yuba - yuka - zapateo	aberikula - agogós - bandora - bandurria - batá - biankomé - bocú - bongo - bongó del monte - bonkoenchemiyá - botija - bulá - cajón - catá - cencerro - chachá - chaworó - chekere - cheré - claves - conga - cornetas chinas - ekwé - efí - efó - enú - güiro - guagua - guataca - guayo - guitar - ilú - itótele - judíos batá - junga - kinfuiti - kuchí-yeremá - laúd - maraca - marimbula - maruga - ngoma - nkembi - obí-apá - ogán - okónkolo - pailas - palito - quinto - segon - segundo - sese eribó - tingo talango - tiple - tres - tumba - tumbadore	abakuá - aché - arará - cabildo - Casa de la Trova - clave - comparsa - controversia - iremes - iyesá - ñáñigos - Palo - piquete - potencias - plantes - sandunga - Santería - toque - trovadore - tumba francesca
Curaçao	See Dutch Antillean	–	–	–
Dominica[12][13]	bélé - caristo - chanté mas - jing ping - kont	bidjin (biguine) - flirtation - lancer - mazourk (mazurka) - mereng (merengue) - polka pil (pure polka) - quadrille - sotis (schottische) - vals o vyenn (Viennese waltz)	chakchak (maracas) - lapo kabwit (drums) - tanbou bélé - triangle (tingting)	lavèyé
Dominican Republic[6][7][11][14]	bachata - gagá - jaleo - merengue - merengue típico cibaeño - perico ripiao	merengue	accordion - cuatro - güira - guayo - güiro - marimba - palo - tambora drum - vaksin	misterios - velacione
Dutch Antillean[15][16]	belua - dan simadan - remailo - seú - tambú - tumba	bari - tambú - wapa	agan (iron or ploughshare) - bastèl (calabash) - chapi (hoe) - conga (drum) - guitar - kachu (cow's horn) - karko - quarta - tambú (drum) - triangle - wiri	Simadan
French Guianese[17]	awassa - cassé-co - kawina - mato - songé - soussa	bigi poku
Grenadan[18][19]	cantique - chantey - lullaby - saraca	big drum - heel-and-toe polka - picquet - quadrille - reel	boula - cut drum	Carriacou nations - saraca - Tombstone Feast
Guadeloupe[6][7][11][20]	gwo ka		boula - gwo ka - markeur (maké)	lewoz - masquerade - mizik vidé
Haitian[6][7][11][21][22]	kongo - ibo - mereng - méringue - quintolet - ra-ra - ti - yanvalou	carabinier - chica - gragement - juba - menwat - méringue	big - boula - graj - guitar - kóné - lanbi - mamman - marimba - mosquito drum - ogan - segon - shekere - tambou - tcha-tcha - vaksin	bann rara - Haitian Carnival - majó jonk - Rada - Petwo - twoubadou - Vodou
Indo-Caribbean[7][23]	bhajan - birha - chautal - dingolay - gali - matkor (matticore) - maulud - nirgun (funereal song) - qasida - sohar - tan - tassa	matkor (matticore)	dhantal - dholak - tabla - tassa	Mariamman theater - Hossay - pandit - phagwa - picong
Jamaican[6][7][11]	baccra - burru - etu - gumbe - kumina - mento - nyabhingi - ring play - tambu	mento	banjo - bongo - fife - funde - guitar - kalimba	jonkonnu - grounation - Pocomania - Revival Zion
Kittitian and Nevisian[24][25]	big drum - iron band	big drum	baha (blown metal pipe) - fife - guitar - quarto - shack-shack (tin can with beads inside) - triangle	tea meeting
Lucian[26][27]	blòtjé - chanté abwè - chanté kont (jwé chanté) - chanté siay - gém - jwé - jwé dansé - Kélé drumming - kont - koutoumba - listwa - sankey - séwinal	bélè - comette - débòt (circle dance) - dézyèm fidji - faci - grande ronde (gwan won) - jwé pòté (circle dance) - koutoumba - kwadril (quadrille) - lakonmèt (mazurka, mazouk) - latwiyèm fidji (avantwa, lanmen dwèt) - manpa (maynan) - moulala - omans (waltz) - polka - pwémyé fidji - schottische - solo (couple dance) - yonbòt (circle dance)	baha (wooden trumpet) - banjo - bwa poye (skroud banjo) - chak-chak (rattle) - cuatro - fiddle - guitar - gwaj (scraper) - ka - mandolin - tambourine (tanbouwen) - tibwa - zo (bones)	chantwèl - Kélé - La Marguerite - La Rose - lang dévivé - wibòt
Martinican[6][7][11][20]	biguine vidé - chouval bwa - groups à pied - gwo ka - ti bwa	bélè - biguine - manege	accordion - bélè - bell - clarinet - chacha (rattle) - flute - kazoo - tanbour - tanbou débonda - tibwa - trombone	lewoz - masquerade
Montserratian[28][29]	jumbie	bam-chick-lay - country dance (goatskin, drum dance) - jumbie - polka - quadrille	accordion - babala (jumbie drum, tambourine) - bagpipe - boom pipe - fife (pulley) - French reel (skin drum, woowoo, jumbie drum) - gradge - shak-shak - triangle - cuatro (yokolee, ukulele)	obeah - rum shop
Puerto Rican[6][7][11][30]	aguinaldo - bomba - copla (music) - danza - jíbaro - plena - requinto - seis - tipica	bomba	bomba - bongo - conga - cowbell - cuatro - güiro - maraca - pandereta - requinto - seguidora	controversia - parranda - trovador
Surinamese[7][8][20][23]	aleko - badji - birha - bigi poku - kaseko - kawina - lonsei - matkor (matticore) - tan - Baithak Gana	kawina	dhantal - dholak - djas - hari kawina - koti kawina - kwatro - papai benta - rattle - skratji - timbal	ampuku - kumanti - obia pee - vodu - Winti
Trinidadian and Tobagonian[6][7]	bamboula - bele - calypso - gayap - juba - lavway - parang - steelpan	calinda	bandolin - bo - cuatro - dhantal - dholak - omele - steelpan - tassa	calypso tent - camboulay - chantwell - Jamette - j'ouvert - picong - Shango - Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
Turks and Caicos[31]	ripsaw		accordion - glass bottle - box guitar - musical saw - concertina - conch horn - conga drum - harmonica - maraca - mouth organ - triangle
Vincentian[32][33]	bele - Big Drum - string band	big drum - quadrille	Big Drum	chantwell - Vincy mas
Virgin Islander[34]	bamboula - cariso - scratch (fungi) band - quelbe (quelbay)-iron bands- masquerade	jig - quadrille (Imperial Quadrille, Flat German Quadrille)-Bamboula	accordion - ass pipe - banjo - flute - drum (double-headed barrel) - gourd - guitar - squash - tambourine - ukulele - violin - washboard	David and Goliath - masquerade - tea meeting

Notes

1. McDaniel, Lorna, "Antigua and Barbuda" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, pp. 798–800
2. "Calypso". Antigua and Barbuda's Cultural Heritage. Archived from the original on October 26, 2005. Retrieved December 3, 2005.
3. Kaliss, "Junkanoo and Sloop John B.", in the Rough Guide to World Music, pp. 317–324
4. Janice Millington, "Barbados", in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 2, pp. 813–821
5. "Christmas Traditions in the Cayman Islands". Caymannet News. Archived from the original on July 10, 2003. Retrieved July 20, 2006.
6. Manuel, Popular Musics
7. Manuel, Caribbean Currents
8. Turino, "Sub-Saharan Africa" in Excursions in World Music
9. Fairley, Jan, "¡Que Rico Bailo Yo! How Well I Dance" and "Troubadours Old and New", in the Rough Guide to World Music, pp. 386–407 and 408–413
10. Leymarie, Isabelle 2002. Cuban fire: the story of salsa and Latin jazz. Continuum, London. pp. 9 - 43
11. World Music Central Archived 2006-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
12. "Dominica's Quadrilles". Division of Culture. Retrieved December 3, 2005.
13. Jocelyne Guilbault, "Dominica", in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 2, pp. 840-844
14. Harvey, Sean and Sue Steward, "Merengue Attacks", in the Rough Guide to World Music, pp. 414–420
15. "Curaçao's Culture". Curaçao Culture and Folklore. Archived from the original on December 3, 2005. Retrieved December 3, 2005.
16. Charles De Ledesma Charles and Gene Scaramuzzo, "Dance-Funk Creole-Style" in the World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp. 289-303
17. Manuel, Caribbean Currents, pp. 221–231
18. "Caribbean Voyage: Carriacou Calaloo". Musical Traditions. Retrieved September 9, 2005.
19. "Tombstone - Big Drum - Saraca". Paradise Inn. Archived from the original on August 31, 2005. Retrieved September 10, 2005.
20. de Ledesma, Charles and Gene Scaramuzzo, "Dance-Funk Creole-Style", in the Rough Guide to World Music, pp. 289–303
21. Harvey, Sean and Sue Steward, "Merengue Attacks" and "Compas Points", in the Rough Guide to World Music, pp. 414–420 and pp. 421–429
22. Nettl, Folk and Traditional Music
23. Manuel, Peter (2001). "Indo-Caribbean Music". Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. New York and London: Garland Publishing. pp. 813–818. ISBN 0-8240-6040-7.
24. "SKNVibes". St. Kitts - Nevis Carnival History. Retrieved December 5, 2005.
25. "Caribbean Voyage: Nevis & St Kitts". Musical Traditions. Retrieved December 5, 2005.
26. Campbell, David (1997). "Musical Traditions of St Lucia". Musical Traditions. Retrieved May 7, 2006.
27. Jocelyne Guilbault, "Saint Lucia" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume Two: South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
28. "Music of Montserrat". Montserrat First, Montserrat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) Inc. Archived from the original on January 7, 2006. Retrieved December 8, 2005.
29. John Mesener, "Montserrat", in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume Two: South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, pp. 922-926
30. Sweeney, Philip, "Not Quite the 52nd State", in the Rough Guide to World Music, pp. 481–487
31. "Ripsaw Music and Our Cultural Heritage". Times of the Islands. Archived from the original on April 15, 2005. Retrieved June 18, 2006.
32. "The Arts and Literature". Cultural Profiles Project. Archived from the original on October 1, 2006. Retrieved September 27, 2005.
33. "Holidays". Cultural Profiles Project. Archived from the original on October 1, 2006. Retrieved September 27, 2005.
34. Sheehy, Daniel, "The Virgin Islands" in the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume Two: South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean

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• Broughton, Simon (2000). Mark Ellingham (ed.). Rough Guide to World Music (First ed.). London: biggy. ISBN 1-85828-636-0.
• Lankford, Ronald D. Jr. (2005). The Changing Voice Music of Protest USA. New York: Schirmer Trade Books. ISBN 0-8256-7300-3.
• Philip V. Bohlman; Bruno Nettl; Charles Capwell; Thomas Turino; Isabel K. F. Wong (1997). Excursions in World Music (Second ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-230632-8.
• Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 2. Routledge. 1999. ISBN 0-8153-1865-0.
• Leymarie, Isabelle (2002). Cuban Fire: The Story of Salsa and Latin Jazz. London: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-6566-8.
• Manuel, Peter (1988). Popular Musics of the Non-Western World. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-505342-7.
• Nettl, Bruno (1965). Folk and Traditional Music of the Western Continents. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
• Fujie, Linda; James T. Koetting; David P. McAllester; David B. Reck; John M. Schechter; Mark Slobin; R. Anderson Sutton (1992). Jeff Todd Titan (ed.). Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World's Peoples (Second ed.). New York: Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-872602-2.
• van der Merwe, Peter (1989). Origins of the Popular Style: The Antecedents of Twentieth-Century Popular Music. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-316121-4.
• "International Dance Glossary". World Music Central. Archived from the original on February 7, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2006.