Louisiana Bamboula
Great Grandmother
from body
from oceans
from land
from memory
WE SHARED
in dungeons
on ships
in Congo Square
in swamps
on plantations
in the bayou
on shores
in oceans
WE MADE NEW DANCE-MANIFESTATIONS
the same as the ones from yesterday
the same as the ones from today
the same as the ones from tomorrow
yet different parts of one ocean, one genealogy, one map
A “Congo dance” performed on a plantation: “...chiefly a sort of shuffle, and a violent agitation of all the muscles of the body.” (14)
--From the Kingdom of Kongo to Congo Square in conversation with Cable’s Creole Slave Dances
exploring how these dances, music, and gatherings were:
brought
shared
manifested
Great Grandmother
WE BROUGHT OUR DANCES
from rainfrom body
from oceans
from land
from memory
WE SHARED
in dungeonson ships
in Congo Square
in swamps
on plantations
in the bayou
on shores
in oceans
WE MADE NEW DANCE-MANIFESTATIONS
the same as the ones from yesterdaythe same as the ones from today
the same as the ones from tomorrow
yet different parts of one ocean, one genealogy, one map
Primary and Secondary Sources on Louisiana Bamboula
“According to Cable, the orchestra that could be seen on Congo Square consisted of a drum set composed of long and smaller drums, the latter being called bamboula, gourds filled with pebbles or grains of corn, triangles, Jew’s harps, jawbones with teeth that were rattled with a key...the bamboula was not just the name of a drum but also that of a dance, which he imagined to be a furious dance between men and women of different African origin.” (17)
A “Congo dance” performed on a plantation: “...chiefly a sort of shuffle, and a violent agitation of all the muscles of the body.” (14)
Performed in a New Orleans house: “...two females whose ‘ambition seemed to be to move their feet rapidly but still with the leas possible visible motion.’” (15)
“He called the dance he had witnessed on Congo Square a ‘bamboula’ and compared its ‘ludicrous contortions and gyrations’ to ‘the equally famous Voudou dance.’” (17)
Singing: Danse Calinda, bou doum, bou doum and Eh eh! Bomba, hen, hen! Canga bafio te, Canga moune de le, Canga do ki la Canga li. (17)
--From the Kingdom of Kongo to Congo Square in conversation with Cable’s Creole Slave Dances
Research As Action: Performing an Embodied Re-Enactment
exploring how these dances, music, and gatherings were:
brought
shared
manifested
Bamboula as memory.
Dance as history.
Dance as history.
It’s inside of us.
We are our
dancestors.