The Classical Indian Influences on Caribbean Music

Today, while enjoying a phenomenal lunch at Tampa's Jerk Hut, an absolutely delightful Jamaican restaurant, my companions and I got to talking about the influences of India on the culture of the Caribbean. Actually, I got to talking, my companions likely got to wishing I would shut up already. In any case, it was probably the delicious Jamaican-style curried chicken that got my mind rolling, but the posters and flyers hanging all over the place listing soca and chutney music concerts sure helped.

Many people don't realize that after the British abolished slavery both at home and in their colonies in the early 1800s, they were already controlling the huge subcontinent of India. To help continue building their colonies, they had to find a cheap source of labor, and India fit the bill. Therefore, the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana, among others, have had formidable Indian populations for nearly 200 years, and a steady population growth ever since. These cultural influences, combined with African, European and Native influences, helped make the Caribbean the unbelievably vibrant place it is today, with unique foodways, music, religions and languages.

If you want to have a listen to some music that has clear influences from both classical Indian music and other styles of caribbean music, dig into some soca music or Chutney music. Soca is mainly music by Afro-Caribbeans which incorporates Indian elements, and Chutney is mainly music by Indian Caribbeans which incorporates Afro-Caribbean elements. You'll love 'em both, I promise.