The tradition & historical record
2 min read · 2 sourcesA bamboula is a West African-derived rhythm, dance, and percussion instrument or type of drum made from a rum barrel with skin stretched over one end. It is also a dance accompanied by music from these drums. 2
Etymology
The term is derived from 2 languages spoken in Portuguese Guinea: 2
the Sarar or Sadal, ka-mombuloñ;(probably Serer language) Bola (Bwlama, Juan or Jual) word, kam-bumbulu (probably Jola-Fonyi) Both of which mean drum. 2
As a dance
Originating in Africa, the bamboula form appears in a Haitian song in 1757 and bamboula became a dance syncopation performed to the rhythm of the drum during festivals and ceremonies in Haiti (then Saint-Domingue). It was then exported to the United States (notably Mobile, Alabama, and the Virgin Islands) through Louisiana, by the slaves who were deported to New Orleans during the 18th century with the arrival of the displaced French settlers of the island of San Domingo especially after the Haitian Revolution. The slaves congregated on the Congo Square to the edge of the area of the French Quarter of New Orleans to dance the bamboula. From the fear of inciting insurrection, on Aug. 8, 1672, Gov. Jorgen Iversen banned bamboula dancing on the island of St. Thomas 2
As a rhythm
The "bamboula rhythm" is foundational to New Orleans music, including jazz and second line. It is characterized by a 3+3+2 polyrhythmic pattern. Stanton Moore referred to it as the Haitian cinquillo. "Moore wrote that this Mardi Gras Indian rhythm (the bamboula "Haitian bell rhythm") can be traced back to the Indians' Haitian roots. Similarly, Moore referred to the 3+3+2 pattern (the bass drum rhythm in Figure 2) as the Haitian tresillo." -Robert J. Damm 2
In 1848, the American composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and whose maternal grandmother was a native of Saint-Domingue, composed a piece entitled Bamboula, the first of four Creole inspired piano works known as his Louisiana Quartet. 2
As an ethnic slur
In the present-day French language, the word bamboula has become an ethnic slur, directed at black people. 2
The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Bamboula”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. 2
Bamboula is kind of drum, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. 1
The source record links this tradition to 2 external registers, which can be verified through the citation. 1