Benna (genre)

Benna (alternatively spelled bennah, or called ditti) is a genre of Antiguan and Barbudan music.

Benna is a calypso-like genre, characterized by scandalous gossip and a call-and-response format. It first appeared during slavery, and became a form of folk communication in the early 20th century, and it spread local news across the islands.^[1] John Quarkoo was a singer who used the genre to criticize oppressors of black people. It was the main genre of non-religious music in the region until the 1950s, after which was replaced by the popularity of Trinidad calypso.^[2]

References

1. McDaniel, Lorna (1999). "Antigua and Barbuda". Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Vol. 2. pp. 798–800. ISBN 0-8153-1865-0.
2. Nevins,Debbie (2021). Antigua and Barbuda. Cavendish Square Publishing. pp. 107–108. ISBN 9781502662750.