User:Harpy eagle music/Banchikilli-music of the spanish arawaks of guyana

Banchikilli – The Music of the Spanish Arawaks of Moruca. By Rohan Sagar 2010-2011 M.A Candidate Applied Community Change & Community FutureGenerations/Graduate School

22/03/2010

History of the Spanish Arawaks in Guyana: In 1811 Civil War erupted in the South American Spanish colony of Venezuela. Described as the Bolivarian Revolution it was also called the Big War by surviving members of the Indigenous Arawak community. The Simon Bolivar led Revolution saw the eventual defeat of the Spanish Empire in that country and subsequently, other parts of South America. It also saw the reversal of the role and power of the Roman Catholic Church, a key supporter and enforcer of colonial Spain’s authority. The ultimate battle setting in Western Venezuela placed the Church in confrontation with the advancing rebels. The sizeable Arawak community at Angostura, seen as a faithful constituency, possessed neither the willingness nor military ability to fight the upcoming battle. Nevertheless coerced they were, but they suffered badly in the confrontation with the rebels. Whole families were murdered, homes burnt and women raped. Exile: In 1817 many of the surviving Arawak fled Angostura, now renamed Cuidad Bolivar. The first group fled from the city on the by foot making their way to the head waters of the Cuyuni River. This group crossed the border into Guyana and has since disappeared. In the same year a group of approximately one hundred Arawaks led by Juan Aguilera fled Cuidad Bolivar, though this time by boat. These Indians paddled out of the Orinoco River into the Atlantic Ocean in canoes. They entered Barima River (see map) on the Northern tip of British Guiana. Sailing south they entered Waini River then into the Baramani River, a tributary that flows east to West. Continuing they sailed south on the Biara River, a tributary of the Baramani, into the Biara’s tributary, the Barra-barra River. Finally they entered Moruca River from Barra-barra. Mariaba: The refugees sailed until they reached their destination - an island with already established communities – Caribs and Warraus, Indigenous tribes as well. This island they called Mariaba - Arawak for guava, a tropical fruit. The island was later christened Santa Rosa in honor of the patron saint of the Spanish Arawaks, St. Rose of Lima in the year 1840.

Banchikilli: Banchikilli is an Arawak word. According to Jennifer Harris, one of the few Arawak speaking person found in Santa Rosa, Banchikilli means “to dance to the violin and banjo”. In music it is a hybrid of two sounds, Indigenous or Arawak melodies and Joropo (a music created by the llaneros of Venezuela) providing harmonic texture. This music developed as a consequence of cultural exchanges with the European community of Venezuela. When the Arawaks arrived in Guyana they came with fully developed musical repertoires. Indigenous music can be determined by two significant timelines in Western history: pre – Contact that time before the arrival of the Europeans; and post-Contact after the arrivals of the Europeans. However, as a consequence of pressures from the Church (in Guyana) the community was strongly encouraged to sacrifice many of its traditions including its musical heritage. As a result many of the lyrics of their songs were lost over the centuries. Form and Texture: Rhythm: Banchikilli as defined by performance is polyrhythmic. Whereas Indigenous rhythms are performed mainly in 2/4 (Mari Mari in Guyana)there is no strict adherence to time signatures. The Joropo however, is ¾. There is some conjecture on the reasons for Indigenous performances utilizing complex time signatures and William “Billy” Pilgrim implied that these were a result of physiology unique to Indigenous peoples. Instrumentation: The Arawaks employed the uses of both Indigenous and European Instruments in their performance of Banchikilli music. It was a pivotal move designed to ensure the survival of the sound.

Violin: Introduced to the local community from Trinidad & Tobago. Banjo: Introduced to the local community from Trinidad & Tobago. Ukulele: Introduced to the local community from Trinidad & Tobago. Guitar: Brought to Guyana by the new arrivals. The guitar has become a very popular musical instrument and one that has been co-opted by the Indigenous people. Maracas: A gourd shaped instrument filled with beads. Used for percussion Sambura: This instrument was developed by the Black Caribs and was called the Sambura, a bass/percussion instrument and brought to the Pomeroon by the Caribs, the first settlers. An instrument of the same name (though different in structure) is used by the Akawaio Indians in the Upper Mazaruni, Macuxi of the South and Central Rupununi. This instrument is also found amongst the Caribs of Surinam. Minerva Talma, a Carib of Cabucalli, Moruca confirms that the origin of the word Sambura is indeed Carib and means ‘instrument that makes a sweet sound’ or ‘instrument for making a joyful noise’. The Sambura is also found in the Parang music of Trinidad & Tobago. In Trinidad it is known as the box-bass. (Sagar, 2008) Texture: In Banchikilli music the following determine its texture: - 1.	The music is for the most part is instrumental (the Arawaks having lost their language after their arrival in Guyana). There pockets of vocals for some songs. Very few are sung and when they do it is sung to a chant. 2.	The music is polyrhythmic. 3.	The violin (melody) is 2/4 though not adhering to strict time signature. 4.	The melody is Homophonic. 5.	Other instruments provide harmony in 3/4. 6.	Very short ideas are repeated often; can alternate either as AABB or ABAB. 7.	The melodic scale movements are in major 2nds, 3rds, minor 3rds and 6ths; 8.	Generally most melodies are descending movements. 9.	Diatonic and chromatic movements are used liberally.

Form: Banchikilli music is reflective of diverse influences. The music has Indigenous, Spanish as well as contemporary influences. Indigenous melodies are short simple ideas much of it descriptive of various aspects of their life and environment and also folk tales. Other aspects of Indigenous music are the uses of existing works for the production of newer ideas. Typical examples are the songs Rosita Colorou and Etore B’lin. They both mirror each other in melodic structure and style. However Rosita Colorou is filled with patriotism, and was perhaps the first composition of the Spanish Arawaks after their arrival in Guyana in the early 19th century, whereas Etore B’lin or Baboon Dance was a more classical Indigenous song, pre-contact in creation. However the composer(s) never replaced the structure of what constitutes a Spanish Arawak Indigenous melody, and their techniques are easily recognized in the respective compositions.

Works Cited "Venezuela." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. (2009, September 7). Venezuela. Georgetown, Demerara, Guyana. Bennett, J. P. (1994). An Arawak-English Dictionary. Georgetown: Walter Roth. Rodrigues, B. (2009, August 23).(R. Sagar, Interviewer)