Jamaica is an island in the Carribean Sea. It covers 4,244 square miles. It has a tropical maritime climate. Columbus landed on the island in 1494. He and his crew decimated the local Arawak tribe with disease and the harsh life they forced on them. Over it's history, Jamaica has gone through many periods of attempted social reform, however it has rarely actually produced any serious changes. The 1980's and the 1990's elections were marked by fraud and violence. The political spectrum in Jamaica has since been cleaned up a little, but it is still not perfect. Jamaica has a population of 2.7 million, and it is growing at a rate of .71 percent annually. 76 percent is of African American descent, 15 percent Afro European, 3 percent Afro East Indian and East Indian, 3 percent White of European descent, and a few other extreme minority groups. More then half of the population lives in an urban area. The population is forced to live close together because the island is very mountainous, and flat land that can be used for deveolpement is quickly seized and packed with people. English is the official language of Jamaica, however it has been changed over time to a regional dialect, that can sometimes be very hard to understand. The majority of the Jamiacan population is Protestant. Jamaicans as people are very laid back and very nice to visitors. They dress in a very casual fashion, unless they are off to work, where they usually wear buisness suits. The youth tend to dress in the casual style as well, with many choosing to wear the Rastafarian colors of Red, Green, and Gold. Greetings are very important to Jamaicans, and it is considered extremely rude to ignore another persons greeting. Jamaicans use alot of hand gestures when talking, especially to emphasize a point. Rural families eat together most of the time, while families in the city tend to only eat togethor on the weekends, because of the busy work and school schedules. Young people socialize at dances and disco clubs, as well as outdoor concerts, and school. Jamaican food tends to be very spicy. Beer and wine are very popular. All hot drinks are called tea, not just tea itself. Cricket and soccer are the most popular sports in Jamaica. Reggae is the most popular form of Jamaican music, with the most popular artist being Bob Marley. Other popular forms of music in Jamiaca are Jazz, Gospel, and Calypso. Theatrical comedies are also popular in Jamaica. Jamaican holidays include the Catholic holidays, New Years Day, and Labor Day. Jamaica has a parliamentary government, based off of the parliament system in Great Britian.
Bob Marley:
Bob Marley, properly known as Robert Nesta Marley, was an outstanding and revolutionary reggae artist. However, his influence reached far beyond the musical spectrum. He was the first artist born and raised in a third world country to attain the musical status that he did. “According to New York Times Magazine contributor Jon Bradshaw, Marley became an influential political force in his native country by articulating "the plight of the Jamaican ghettos--urging change and preaching revolution should change not come."” (“Bob Marley” 1990). He eventually became a hero in Jamaica and around the world, to people of many races that had become disenfranchised with the current state of the world. He was born February 6, 1945. As a child, he was known to be very serious and also very knowledgeable about many topics. He was said to be a quick thinker. When he was five, his father requested that he be sent to Kingston, Jamaica’s largest city, to study and live with him. Bob’s mother reluctantly agreed. His father took him to the home of an elderly invalid woman, and left him there. He had to fend for himself in the ghettos of Kingston for a few months until his mother could find him, and take him back to his home in the countryside. However, he returned in a few months, this time with his mother, as she believed there would be more opportunity in Kingston for her and Bob. In the culture that Bob grew up in, violent crime and music were seen as two ways to escape the harsh realities of life. Bob and his friends grew up dreaming to become recording stars, and they practiced constantly on their homemade guitars, writing songs. In 1963, Bob released his first single, “Judge Not”. He and his friend, Bunny Livingston, soon teamed up with another singer, Peter Tosh, and formed a group called The Wailers. Through playing many shows, they became one of the most popular musical groups in Jamaica. Their earlier songs were based around “ska” format, a type of dance rock. However, as they grew older and became more aware of what was going on around them, they added in social commentary, and became to change the sound of ska. They made it heavier by making the bass more prominent in the song, and also slowed the songs down significantly. Around this time, The Wailers began to adopt the beliefs of Rastafarianism. “This complex set of mystical beliefs holds that Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia (whose given name was Ras Tafari) is the living God who will lead blacks out of oppression and into an African homeland. It was once considered the religion of outcasts and lunatics in Jamaica, but in the 1960s it came to represent an alternative to violence for many ghetto dwellers. Rastafarianism lent dignity to their suffering and offered them the hope of eventual relief. Rejecting the standards of the white world that led many blacks to straighten their hair, Rastas let theirs mat up into long, ropy "dreadlocks." They follow strict dietary rules: abhor alcohol and drugs, but revere "ganja" (marijuana) as a holy herb that brings enlightenment to users.” (“Bob Marley” 1990). The Wailers tried to ease the tensions that were quickly rising in the ghettos of Jamaica by having their lyrics center around messages of love, peace, and forgiveness. However, they also warned the upper class that their day of judgment would come, and that they could not keep up the horrible practices of racial discrimination and indifference to the plight of the lower class. The Wailers, as popular as they were, were not making much money. In the early 1970’s, Bob sought out Chris Blackwell, the owner of an enormous record company, Island Records, who happened to live in Jamaica. Their first album, Catch Fire met minimal success, however they began to gain more interest in America and Europe when Eric Clapton covered their song, I Shot the Sheriff. The Wailers soon broke up, with the other members complaining about the long times away from Jamaica. Bob released his first solo album, Natty Dread in 1975. It was critically acclaimed. However, in Jamaica, it gave him an enormous amount of respect and attention, and began his development as a cultural icon and hero. Bob was scheduled to do a “Smile Jamaica” concert, mainly to ease tensions between warring gangs in Jamaica, when, on December 3, 1976, seven gunmen (who were suspected to be associated with the Jamaican Labor Party) stormed his house and attempted to kill him. His wife and manager were injured in the gunfight that followed. Bob still performed at the concert, in front of 80,000 screaming fans, and with a bandaged hand. Shortly after the concert, Bob left Jamaica, in self proclaimed exile. After a while, he toured the U.S., Europe, and Africa. In 1977, Bob released another solo album, titled Exodus. It was very self reflective and melancholy, and he pushed the boundaries of Reggae music to their farthest limits. In 1978, Bob injured his foot in a friendly soccer game. After the pain would not recede, he went to the doctors, and learned that he had an early form of cancer. He was advised to have his toe amputated, but declined, because he said that it went against Rasta beliefs. Despite his emerging cancer, he continued to tour. However, in 1980, during part of his U.S. tour, he collapsed while jogging in Central Park in New York. It was revealed that his tumors were spreading throughout his lungs and brain. He underwent radiation therapy, and a holistic treatment in the Swiss Alps, however it had no effect on his condition. He died on May 11, 1981. At his state funeral in Jamaica, more then 100,000 people gathered to mourn his passing. Bob Marley was not just a successful musician, he also broke down boundaries of political and social aspirations, and paved the way for thousands of future artists to overcome the social and economic barrier to stardom.
"Bob Marley." Contemporary Musicians, Volume 3. Gale Research, 1990.
The Dominican Republic’s culture extends far from that known to Western culture, which obviously is due to their intriguing history. The Arawak and Taíno Indians are the first known inhabitants of the small island; however they were diminished after the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Columbus brought colonization, slavery, and disease to the island, which later decimated the Indians. Due to the deaths of the Indians, West Africans were brought into the country for cheap labor in mining, sugar plantations, and cattle farming. In 1496 the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, became the first permanent European settlement in the New World. Many outbreaks occurred in the late 17th and 18th centuries, because the western portion of Hispaniola became French territory, and in 1795 the entire island was taken over. In 1801 a rebellion of slaves overthrew Santo Domingo and established the first independent country in the region, Haiti. By 1924, a constitutional government was established by U.S. Marines. However after the government was set up, a heartless dictator took over. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo ruled for 1930-1961, his last year ruling was his last year of living because of his assassination. The country had trouble in 1965 as their constitutional government was falling apart, but the U.S came in and helped the constitution come back in 1966. Today their government is more open-minded with economic plans and political beliefs.
As said before, culture in the Republic is far different than that of Western culture. To start, within the U.S climates very throughout the states, while in the Dominican Republic everyday is usually hot and sunny. The population of the entire nation is only about as big as a moderate city of the U.S. Also the nation has a 95 percent catholic population, whereas the United States is known for being a melting pot. The Dominican Republic is very well known for its warm and happy attitude, which is said to be from their Spanish speaking population. People value each other in the Republic for having a proud and aggressive attitude along with confianza or in English, trust. Families are very important in the country, cousins are like brothers and sisters, uncles are like extra fathers. Usually all children are tended equally, however the boys live more freely than the girls, but in any culture girls are usually over protected. As in America, movies, discos, dances, and baseball games are all everyday activities for the people of the Dominican Republic. The food consumed in the country prominently is rice and beans. When one does not eat rice in a day, they feel they need to consume more. Cockfighting and dominoes are very popular games in the country, but one thing the Dominicans love is music and dancing. Merengue is the national dance music, usually played with a tambora, melodeon, and guayano. A well known artist in the Dominican Republic is Juan Luis Guerra.
Juan Luis Guerra- A famous Dominican Republic Artist
Bachata Rosa- Juan Luis Guerra
Song Analysis:
Genre: Merengue with Salsa influence
Artist: Juan Luis Guerra
Song: Bachata Rosa
Album: Bachata Rosa de 1991
Song type: Homophonic
Instrumentation:
• Vocals
• Backup vocals
• 2 acoustic guitars
• Claves
• Keyboard/Piano
• Drum set
• Various indigenous drums
Song:
0:00-0:15
The song begins with backup vocals singing the melody along with a constant beat provided by all of the other instruments except the drums. (Part A)
0:16-0:45
The second acoustic guitar comes in and makes the tempo a bit faster. Also the lead vocals come in with the accompaniment of the indigenous drums, keyboard, and claves, which all are playing a constant beat. The second acoustic guitar is homophonic with the vocals, providing a set beat for the lead vocals.
0:46-0:1:18
The tempo slows down once again to about the same rate as the first period. This double period basically presents the same melody as the first period, however instead of backup vocals there are lead vocals.
1:19-1:36
The same as played within the first period, except now there is a double period, and the lead vocals transition to the backup vocals.
1:37-2:08
The same melody as the second period within the song, but the lyrics differ a little bit.
2:08-2:40
Basically the same as 46-1:18, but there is now an extensions with the lead vocals.
2:41-2:56
The intermission C comes in and provides a melodic whistle along with B. The keyboard provides a synthesized waterfall sound at the last phrase in this period to give a soothing feel.
2:40-3:30
Melodic to part B
3:31-4:17
Melodic to part A, extended vocals, at the end a synthesized rain sound to once again provide a soothing love feel for the song.
Western traits:
The song has many pop culture aspects of the United States. The song is very easy to break apart and phrase, plus it has many instruments while there is one lead singer. The vocals used are clear and easily understandable- to that of the Spanish speaker.
Non-Western traits:
The song has a salsa beat based off of the typical meringue music of the Dominican Republic. This beat is played with many instruments that are not usually used in Western Culture, because there are many various indigenous drums used, along with claves to set a mellow beat in the background. Claves are the instruments many used in elementary school, and the beat from the drums can vary within the choices of Dominican drums. The prominent trait that is non-Western is due to the language of the song, which is Spanish! This sets the song on a more Non-Western standard, because the song is based for the Dominican Republic.
All together:
The song has a catchy rhythm, just as many Western pop-culture songs have, however at the same time the song does have a salsa/meringue beat to it. In Western culture, many instruments are made homophonic in order to create harmonization, just as this song. Yet in this song some of the instruments used are atypical to Western culture. The vocals within the song present a very Westernized vibe, yet the language presents the song fully to those of Dominican Republic Culture.
Indigenous Instrument and Evolution:
The legend of the jabao taino exists in the Dominican Republic. Fernando Colon, second son of Cristobal Colon names the jabao "a kind of guzla with three strings." Supposedly the jabao was created by the Taíno Indians of the Republic ages ago, and is highly related to the guzla. A guzla is an ancient single string European that is played with a bow. The name jabao supposedly came from a light-skinned man of mixed race ancestry in the Carribean. Therefore the face or soundboard was made with a light-colored wood, akin to yagrumo. The chain of instrumentation allegedly goes in chronological order as the guzla, the jabao, the tres, the cuatro, the cinco, and then the seis. Basically in Spanish the last four instruments represent three strings, four strings, five strings, and six strings. The last four instruments are like the guitar today, except the only have the amount of strings listed. The guzla and jabao are similar to the violin and other strings that have bows, while the tres, cuatro, cinco, and seis are similar to the guitar, and string instruments without bows.
The jabao taino is said to be "a kind of guzla with three strings"
It is usually played with a bow
Works Cited
"Bob Marley." Contemporary Musicians, Volume 3. Gale Research, 1990.
Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson
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Kingston, Jamaica-Where Bob grew up
Juan Luis Guerra- A famous Dominican Republic Artist
The jabao taino is said to be "a kind of guzla with three strings"
It is usually played with a bow
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