Traditional Bahamian Song and Matieral Culture
Traditional Bahamian Song and Material Culture
“Gal You Want to go Back to Scambo?” was recorded in 1958 by the Fresh Creek Dance Band. It has been influenced in material culture by the economic climate of the Bahamas. The economic climate of the Bahamas in the 1950′s and 1960′s was one in search of independence (both politically and economically) which made progress with the result of an internal self-government in 1964 and independence in 1974, as well as with the increase in tourism (Gale Cengage Learning (pub.), 2008).
This song is by no means an organized dance piece of music which mirrors the less organized commercial, tourist, economic, and political range of the time. The “band” came together by pure luck, for example the guitar player (Prince Forbes) was sailing for Nassau, but was waylaid to Fresh Creek when the tide drifted his sloop into the bay the afternoon of the August Monday celebrations, as stated in Music of the Bahamas Vol. 3 (1959).
The instrumentation of “Gal You Want to go Back to Scambo?” included a guitar, goat skin drum, saw, and sticks. These chosen instruments were very traditional. These are typical island instruments. They are instruments that can be made in the home or are readily available items which happen to make music, i.e. the saw and sticks. While using the saw, sticks and goat skin drum may be traditional, their use also shows a limited economy surrounding musical culture.
In terms of the customs of clothing relevent to the time and music, the women would be wearing skirts or dresses. Aso, this song being played within the August Monday celebration venue would allow for a “dressed-up” occasion. Dancing would be an obvious association with the song, but people were too busy drinking and talking with old friends to attempt to participate in a dance within the crowded pavilion (Music of the Bahamas: Vol 3, 1959). Due to the economic constraints, as well as the progressing political ideas within the Bahamas, masks and more native rituals were not included, however the tradition of instrumental music was strong and the sound of that celebration allowed dance music to ring out across Fresh Creek and beyond throughout the night (Music of the Bahamas: Vol 3, 1959).
Since Andros Island is isolated, it does seem to emit a sense of the older music of the Bahamas. An interesting factor in the production of this song is that it was recorded and produced in an attempt to preserve and document native traditional music on Andros Island, Bahamas, while other native and island songs of the time would not have been recorded due to financial and logistic reasons (Charters, 1959). However, an increased interest in the Bahamas came about after WWII since the war had pumped money into the economy due to military leasing from the US and maintained air base from Brittain. Later, as Cuba became more hostile under Castro, tourism to the Bahamas grew (Williams, 25). Today the public, in interest or research, has the opportunity to listen to “Gal You Want to go Back to Scambo?”
References
Fresh Creek Dance Band. Gal, You Want to go Back to Scambo? Music of the Bahamas: Instrumental Music from the Bahama Islands. Vol. 3. Folkway Records, 1959. http://www.folkways.si.edu/TrackDetails.aspx?itemid=9480
Gale Cengage Learning (pub.). “Background: The Bahamas.” Countries of the World and Their Leaders Yearbook 2010. Vol. 1. Sept. 2008: 150-153.
Music of the Bahamas: Instrumental Music from the Bahama Islands. Vol. 3 (Album Sleeve), Folkway Records, 1959.
Williams, Colleen Madonna Flood. The Bahamas. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2004.
