History of Jamaican Music

Paper Summary:

Jamaica's music is influenced by the African, European, and Spanish cultures of its inhabitants. It explains that the different cultural backgrounds of the indigenous tribes blended with the Spanish and European colonists to create a music that was unique in many respects. The writer points out that Jamaican music is a form of expression, as well as an attempt for a culture to define itself. Its achievement lies in the fact that, despite its humble beginnings, it has become a global force in the musical world.

From the Paper:

"Lewin and Gordon explain that native Jamaican music can be broken down into five categories, which are ritual, ceremonial, social, work and recreational. In addition, they state that ritual, ceremonial, and the social aspects of the music were the most popular forms of music in Jamaican culture and were still significant at the turn of the century. (Lewin and Gordon) Folk music originated as a result of dealing with life and its variety of circumstances. This underlying theme of coping with the joys and sorrows of life remains a significant aspect of Jamaican music. In short, Jamaican music serves many purposes and, as a result, is a form of all sorts of expressions."

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