SOURCES
Photo courtesy Division of Culture, Old Mill Cultural Centre, Canefield

Illustrations adapted from Our Island Culture by Lennox HONYCHURCH, first published in 1982, by the Dominican National Cultural Council (Division of Culture), Old Mill Cultural Centre, Canefield, (767) 449-1804.


PRONUNCIATION KEY:
an   an, as in animal
ch   sh, as in shame
dj   as in jam
é   ay
è   eh, as in yet
en   as in penny
ò   oh (nasal), as in hot
on   as in honey
ou   as in foot
tj   as in catch
Music forms a huge part of our independence celebrations. The drumming, singing and dancing are all combined, it is all one package. There are cultural competitions and festivals such as the World Creole Music Festival and Creole in the Park. This year we have new events such as the Cadence-lypso Festival and a Quadrille festival.

Mizik ka jwé yon bon pa an fet andépandans.Tanbou, chante, danse ka ale tout ansanm. Sé yon léloum. I ni konpitisyon kiltirèl, fèstival mizik kon Fèstival Mizik Kwéyòl Tout Won Latè, Kwéyòl an Pak-la. Lanné sala, i ni bagay nèf kon Konpitisyon Kadans-lipso épi fèstival Kwadjril.
Jing ping is the traditional music. A jing ping band has four people on average. The main instruments used are accordion, drum, shaker and boom pipe. Sometimes other instruments such as the violin, banjo, guitar, mouth organ and bamboo flute are added.
On Creole Day, you will see jing ping bands performing on the street, at the banks, restaurants and stores. You will also see jing ping bands performing at the various cultural competitions because they accompany the dances such as quadrille.

Jing ping sé mizik twadisyonnèl nou. You bann jing ping ni kat moun. Enstwiman pwensipal yo ka jwé sé akòdéyon, tanbou, gwaj (syak) épi boum boum. Pa fwa i ni dòt enstiwman kon vyolon, banndjo, gita, mizik a bouch, flit banbou.
An jouné kwéyol ou ké wè bann jing ping ka jwé bò lawi, an bank, an plas manjé, épi magazen. Ou ks wè bann jing ping an tout sé konpitisyon kiltirèl-la pis sé yo ki ka akonpannyé sé dansè-a. Kon kwadjril.
Typical Jing Ping band instruments
gratergwaj shakersshak-shaks accordionakòdéyon
boom pipeboum-boum drumstambous frame drumtambal

Vocabulary Here are some key words to get you going.
Mi yon dé mo, yon dé pawòl pou démelé kò’w.

gentleman (cavalier)       kavalyé woman, lady       danm (from the French madam) Move your body (in a sensual way)       Kawé kò’w Let’s go dancing       An nou alé dansé May I dance with you?       Es mwen sa dansé èvè’w? I want to dance with you       Mwen vlé dansé épi’w Come dance with me       Vini dansé èvè mwen Where is the party tonight?       Ola siwo-a yé òswè-a?