[photo courtesy Trinidad Guardian,
Thursday 31st July, 2008]
Undressing our more sophisticated T&T selves, will reveal bits of natural comfortable selves such as the particulars to death, grieving, and community participation in times of sadness. Two such aspects of this undress reveal: The Wake and The Bongo, icons of a cultural past
BONGO NIGHTS
Qua-qua line outside the circle
Sobs encircle
quiet mourning
in night's passing
Tack ah tack tack the bamboo clack
soul gone night black
loud the drums beat
creating heat
Tomorrow the undertaker
passage maker
fix up for rest
body behest
BONGO NIGHTS © gillena cox 2016
[photo Woodbrook Cemetery - Mucurapo Road, St. James, Trinidad; October 2016]
Glossary
Bongo/Wake...Steeped in a syncretism of African and Methodist religion, the Wake and Bongo has been around for a long time in Tobago. Dry biscuit was the normal fare at this ritual, perhaps because it was usually the people of the poorer class who held the wakes, and dry biscuits were sufficiently affordable to cater for the large crowds that would gather every night...
The Bongo
is performed at the house of the deceased on the night of the wake (the night before the funeral). The dance depicts the passing of a person from one world to the next.
The qua-qua - is the musical accompaniment for the dance and is simply two pieces of bamboo struck or clapped together rhythmically by the players. The flat sound is struck in the tempo tack-tata-tack-tack, tack-tata-tack-tack.
Day of the Dead - Susan's prompt
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[choice video today]
I heard and felt the rhythm of this at home Bongo to release the soul before releasing the body. How moving!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation Susan
Deletemuch love...
The Japanese films Okuribito mentions about the passage maker.. your poem reminds me of the film. Nice to know about T&T culture. A celebration fitting to one's journey to another dimension
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation Totomai
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This is fascinating....a very interesting cultural experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation Rall
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A grand send-off no less! In a way it is fitting as that is the last post, the final opportunity honor and in a dignified way to do so!
ReplyDeleteHank
Thanks for your appreciation Hank
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I love the sound of these ways of honouring, with music and biscuits. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation Sherry
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This is beautifully poignant, Gillena ❤️ and I learned something new today ❤️
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Sanaa
Thanks for dropping in Sanaa
ReplyDeletemuch love...
What a lovely ritual. I love the rhythm, the emotion in the letting go of the dead here. Thanks for writing about it Gillena.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Myrna
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Excellent - thanks for the explanation - it's perfect. I could hear the ceremony in my head.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Buddah
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Our European style funerals seem somewhat bland in comparison. Thanks for the info Gillena!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Robin
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Love the way you have incorporated the sounds...
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Thotpurge
DeleteMuch love...
love the rhythm and a very other worldly feel...i think ceremonies express our love for the departed...
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Sumana
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It really took me to the place you were writing about. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Samyuktha
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I'm loving the rhythm of this poem! A great read-aloud!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation MMT
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Love the rhythm and the sound words in your poem which makes the ritual of the passing over of the soul come alive
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Marja
Deletemuch love...
I think your poem touches on the two conflicting emotions that mourners experience at the wake/funeral, Gillena: The immense sadness and desolation on the death of a loved one, and at the same time the sense of peace and comfort that the dead person has passed on to a better place, where there is no suffering and pain. A wake and funeral should have both dirges and celebrations because of this. I think your poem convey that duality well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your appreciation Nicholas
ReplyDeletemuch love...