Creolization in The Music of the Dutch Caribbean

The textbook Tour de Force: A  Musical Journey of the Caribbean outlines a few examples of creolization in the music of the Dutch-speaking Caribbean. 

One example the text provides is the Antillean waltz from Curaçao. The Antillean waltz evolved from the European, Spanish and Viennese waltzes forming a unique combination of traditional waltz and Caribbean syncopation. Authors Christine Gangelhoff and Cathleen LeGrand describe this creole metamorphosis of the Antillean waltz in detail. Domestic workers on the island often issued the music at dance parties for the European, Dutch, Sephardic and Venezuelan communities. They provided this music using the ka'i òrgel accompanied by the wiri instrument which added a unique rythmic syncopation to the imported waltzes recorded on the ka'i òrgel. It is likely that this accompaniment resulted in the evolution of the Antillean waltz. 

Here is a photo of renowned Curaçaoan composer and pianist Wim Statius Muller whose piano works in Antillean dances are well known:

Photo taken from https://in.pinterest.com/pin/546835579725827134/

Below is a video of Muller performing one of the Three Antillean Waltzes called "Nostalgia." You can hear the left hand frequency or pattern taking on an Antillean rhythm and tempo.

Video taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLYBkq-weDg

Another element of creolization in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean is the papiamento or papiamentu language. The website storyteller.travel describes papiamento as a Portuguese-based creole language that is widely spoken on the Dutch Leeward Caribbean ABC islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. The papiamento dialect is spoken in Aruba while the papiamentu dialect is spoken in Bonaire and Curaçao. The Aruban word ends in "o" while the corresponding papiamentu word ends in "u".  According to the article, the reason for these spelling differences is based on the orthographic systems chosen by each island. Aruba uses an etymology-based spelling while Bonaire and Curaçao use a phonology-based spelling. Although the words of each dialect are spelled and pronounced differently, they have identical meanings. 

Here is an image of the papiamento/papiamentu speaking ABC islands Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire:
Photo taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_Netherlands_Antilles

Below is a video that highlights common papiamentu words and phrases.

Video taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMM7jkuDuY4



References

Gangelhoff, C., & LeGrand, C. (2019, December 31). Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of The Caribbean. Sound Caribbean.

Haines, B. (2020, July 8). 122 Papiamento Phrases: How to Speak Papiamento. Retrieved from https://storyteller.travel/papiamento-phrases-how-to-speak-papiamento/.

Romero, S. (2010, July 4). A Language Thrives in Its Caribbean Home. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/world/americas/05curacao.html

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