THE POLY-DIASPORIC RHYTHM MATRIX:

THE POLY-DIASPORIC RHYTHM MATRIX: UNRAVELING THE COMPLEXITY OF CARIBBEAN AND AFRICAN DIASPORIC INTERSECTIONS

In the intricate fabric of Caribbean and African diasporic cultures, a new concept emerges: the Poly-Diasporic Matrix, a term coined and conceptualized by the author. This matrix serves as a pivotal framework, guiding the exploration of how various African communities have been interwoven into the Caribbean diaspora and how their combined cultural elements and cosmologies actively contribute to the evolution of Caribbean and African Diaspora art and worldview.

Definitions:

• Poly-Diasporic Matrix (prestø): A comprehensive research framework that traces the African communities that were integrated into the Caribbean diaspora. It delves into the dynamic interplay of diverse cosmologies and cultural elements, highlighting their active role in shaping the Caribbean and African Diaspora’s art and perspectives.

• Polydiaspora (Prestø): A term that encapsulates the simultaneous existence and co-activation of multiple diasporic cultures and elements. It emphasizes the multi-centric activation of cultural precepts from which art, practices, and daily life in the Caribbean and African diaspora are continuously crafted, expanded, and evolved.

The essence of the Poly-Diasporic Matrix lies in its exploration of the African communities that were brought into the Caribbean diaspora, mapping out their complex journeys and resultant cultural imprints. By analyzing which cosmologies and cultural elements remain active, the matrix paints a vivid picture of a rich tapestry of influences that contribute to the continually evolving art forms and worldviews of the Caribbean and African diaspora.

These influences are not mere remnants of the past but are polycentrically activated cultural touchpoints, driving innovation and evolution in artistic practices and daily life. They serve as wellsprings of inspiration, as artists, thinkers, and everyday individuals tap into these myriad influences to shape, reshape, and create anew. The concept emphasizes the simultaneous co-activation of these cultural elements, underscoring the dynamic interplay of traditions, beliefs, and artistic forms.

In the Caribbean and African diaspora, the term Polydiaspora provides a more nuanced understanding of their multi-layered identity. It’s not just about acknowledging diverse origins; it’s about recognizing the active role each diasporic influence plays in shaping thought, art, and culture. This constant engagement and dialogue between multiple diasporic elements set the stage for a vibrant and ever-evolving cultural landscape.

In conclusion, the Poly-Diasporic Matrix, coupled with the idea of Polydiaspora, provides an invaluable lens to study and appreciate the intricate amalgamation of African communities in the Caribbean diaspora. It offers insights into the multi-centric activation of cultural elements, which not only shape artistic expressions but also breathe life into the daily practices and worldviews of these vibrant communities. The journey through this matrix reveals a kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs, and artistic nuances, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Caribbean and African diasporic culture.

GATHERING THE WEB: POLYDIASPORIC RHYTHMIC SITES (Prestø):

The intricate mosaic of rhythms, dances, and spiritual expressions that define the Caribbean and circum-Caribbean realms are more than mere aesthetic performances; they encapsulate centuries of history, resistance, and the amalgamation of multiple African cultures. These rhythms, deeply rooted in the African diaspora, emerged from the tumultuous journey of diverse ethnicities and cultures across the Atlantic during the harrowing era of enslavement. Over time, these cultural essences converged, intermingled, and birthed a series of syncretic practices

Prevailing colonial narratives have, for long, shaped the discourse surrounding Caribbean dance and rhythm. These narratives predominantly foreground the influence of colonial “masters”, often relegating to the margins the intricate meshwork of African cultures, their exchanges, and the mutual influences that birthed a distinctive Caribbean cultural identity. Such oversight not only undermines the rich polyphony of African cultural confluences but also obscures the legacies of resistance, adaptation, and innovation that these syncretic and polydiasporic practices represent.

A linchpin in understanding this intricate tapestry is the mapping of Rhythmic Nations and their Africontinued and Afri-Retentive presences within the Caribbean and the Circum-Caribbean domains. This forms an integral facet of the Talawa Technique™  and the rhythmic explorations that underpin my choreographic endeavours. Through this lens, the dance vocabulary transcends mere movement, emerging as an embodied dialogue—a fusion of African diasporic movements and rhythms synergized with the pulsating life force of the mother continent. This exploration showcases a ceaseless flow of mutual inspiration coursing through the Atlantic, an ebb and flow that serves as a dynamic umbilical cord, continually connecting, and reconnecting us with our ancestral roots.

In a rigorous journey that unfolded over more than fifteen years, I pursued a nuanced examination of the rhythmic linkages binding the African continent to its diasporic reflections in the Caribbean. This pursuit was anchored by a multi-pronged strategy, synthesizing extensive fieldwork, embodiment of research practices, and intimate liaisons with renowned drummers, adept dance practitioners, and revered cultural custodians from both shores of the Atlantic.

The crux of my methodology rested on the immersion into and embodiment of specific dances and rhythms native to these cultures. This was not a distant academic endeavor; it was an intimate dance, a corporeal engagement. Through this tactile immersion, rhythms divulged their intricate tales, offering insights into their nuanced patterns and histories.

Conversations with elders, guardians of cultural legacies, were instrumental in plumbing the depths of oral traditions, communal narratives, and intergenerational memories. These oral reservoirs, often overlooked in mainstream academic canons, unveiled layers of knowledge, shining light on the intricacies and subtleties that might remain concealed in written archives.

Yet, amongst the myriad research strategies employed, one heuristic consistently surfaced as preeminent: the imperative to “follow the rhythm.” This rhythmic trace led me through an intricate maze, enabling the mapping of cultural and artistic imprints bridging the Atlantic divide. This pursuit, focused intently on rhythm, furnished a distinctive vantage point, facilitating the disentanglement of the complex choreography of cultural interplay, adaptation, and resilience. In this soundscape, rhythms emerged not merely as metronomic beats but as potent narrators, chronicling tales of interconnections, persistent legacies, and innovative interludes.

To ascertain the depth and breadth of each cultural impact, I instituted a criterion: each culture, to be included in this exploration, was required to exhibit a minimum of three distinct coordinates. These markers, testament to the expansive contributions of the African diaspora, encompassed linguistic remnants, hallmark musical instruments, distinctive rhythmic signatures, reverberations of deities, and ritualistic chants echoing through the annals of time. While the compilation presented here does not purport to be exhaustive, it underscores those rhythmic cultures and lineages that have deeply intertwined with my scholarly and artistic trajectory.

To put it into perspective, consider the Ewe culture’s influence in Trinidad. It wasn’t just about identifying a vague connection but drawing a clear line between specific elements in both cultures. The Kpanlogo drum’s presence in Trinidad, certain chants and practices, references to Ewe deities, and the distinct cultural dance forms are prime examples. Even certain Ewe words that have seamlessly blended with Trinidadian Patois bear testament to this profound connection.

While the compilation presented here does not purport to be exhaustive, it underscores those rhythmic cultures and lineages that have deeply intertwined with my scholarly and artistic trajectory.

VOUDUN AS A GUIDE TO THE POLYDIASPORIC MATRIX

Indigenous Caribbean knowledge systems, like Voudun, Candomble, Obeah, Lukumi, Santeria, Shango baptism, etc., are all methods for organising poly-Diasporic knowledge. These African Caribbean Diasporic knowledge systems have a high level of specificity in their practices and have been able to store knowledge passed down from the beginning of the Transatlantic slave trade up until the present. Using Voudun as an example, the initiate is well aware of the roots of the Rada, Ghede, and Petwo deities/spirits to the point of knowing which ones have their origins in Dahomey, Yoruba, Igbo, Fon, Ewe, Wolof, Serer or Mandinka peoples. They know which are from native Taino (Caribbean pre-Columbus first peoples), and which are indigenous to the African Haitian experience. Voudun, as such, is a poly-diasporic matrix that allows for the storing and organising of knowledge. Dances and rhythms are linked to the deities and are organised according to ‘nation’ (peoples of origin) and or other contexts. Within these indigenous knowledge systems, we can find ways to hold complex poly-diasporic information. Caribbean people and, by extension, most of our expressions, food, culture, and philosophies are, in essence, poly-Diasporic.

For those interested in looking at dance and culture at the intersection between Caribbean African traditions and Native First Peoples of the Americas, I recommend looking into Garifuna dance, culture, and rhythm.

A single Caribbean dance might carry retentions of Ewe, Yoruba, Mandinka, Igbo, and Bakongo elements as well as elements that have uniquely been shaped from the Caribbean experience. These again might be read or influenced by a European lens, as well as carry aspects of ‘Carib’ (indigenous first peoples like Taino or Arawak) retentions. This dance would then be multi or poly-Diasporic. Caribbean and Africana/Africanist dance forms are often termed as creole or hybrid. While creolisation and hybridisation, to me, are processes and/or states which become somewhat unspecific, I posit “poly-Diasporic” as a term that communicates the simultaneity of this state. Also, poly-diasporic speaks to the possible specificity that can be readily available with research, family and cultural history, as well as advances in modern technology and DNA research. As with poly-rhythms, where we can choose which rhythms or even meetings of rhythms to accent or stress, I posit that it is possible to accent or highlight specific retentions within a poly-Diasporic dance and/or body, and thus change its general look and feel without losing its other components. The Talawa Technique™ ™, in its focus on deconstruction and reconstruction, facilitates the poly-Diasporic interrogation of movement. It allows a poly-Diasporic person to enter their centrality without losing any component of their complex and dynamic identity. Talawa Technique™ ™ can facilitate both a Ewe dancer within a northern European context, an Afropean within an American context, and the Caribbean within an African continental context. This also reveals one of many applications in which a technique can serve to filter research. In this case, Talawa Technique™ ™ is a tool which can accommodate poly-Diasporic physical discourse.

 

RESEARCHING THE POLYDISAPORIC MATRIX

In relation to my research into dance techniques of the Circum-Caribbean and the African continent, I found it most logical to organise them similarly to the poly-diasporic system of Voudun, and thus to be able to link rhythms, movements, roots, and routes to their origin, in points of contact, and the unique experiences which altered and/or shaped them. My research was now more than 5,000 pages when all edited into one massive document. Some of this naturally overlaps, and much must be revised, contended, interrogated, and even negated. It is my future hope and wish to be able to focus a PHD on just this endeavour. In the meantime, I will find ways to share some of the fruits of the labour, albeit even if it’s only in the format of a form. I will share a table outlining The African Rhythms Nations which I found within Circum-Caribbean Poly-Diasporic sites.

I name Ewe Peoples, Yoruba Peoples, etc., as different Rhythm Nations acknowledging that they are Nations in their own right, and also the centrality of rhythm as a marker of identity and as a carrier of culture. These again are organised under larger rhythm cultures. These are where I found the rhythms to be similar or the cultures of the distinct Rhythm Nations to be linked and or intertwined. Those organised under the same Rhythm Culture are also the ones I found to have most often merged in the Caribbean.

This form in itself warrants an entire book of analysis and believe me, I have notes for a whole encyclopaedia. In spite of the limitations of this paper, I have decided to add this form to show the work, and because I know that it will be useful. It gives insight into how I think, and the process that has gone into making and structuring the technique. Hopefully, it is also a good starting point for continued research for those who are on a journey.

My knowledge of Indigenous Caribbean Knowledge Systems predominantly stems from initiation, practice, and apprenticeship, although I have later found some valuable sources to quote academically when needed. Yvonne Daniel writes beautifully and accessibly in her book “Dancing Wisdom”, and I strongly advise reading this exceptional offering. It navigates the laborious task of walking the line between sharing information and not touching too deeply on that which is not to be shared with the uninitiated.

Research Methodology in the Poly-Diasporic Matrix: Integrating Africontinued and Afri-retentive Practices

The research methodology for exploring the Poly-Diasporic Matrix is designed to uncover the intricate and dynamic relationships between African communities and their diasporic expressions. This methodology integrates the concepts of Africontinued and Afri-retentive practices, which provide a nuanced understanding of how cultural traditions are preserved, adapted, and transformed within the diaspora.

Africontinued Practices (Prestø 2016)

Africontinued practices refer to cultural traditions that have survived within the African diaspora while keeping their original African roots intact. These practices emphasize the preservation of ancestral traditions, ensuring a strong connection to their historical and cultural origins.

Key Elements:

1. Historico-cultural Semiotics: Africontinued expressions resonate deeply with ancestral traditions, maintaining a strong link to their origins. This helps understand the historical and cultural significance of these practices.
2. Corporeal Epistemologies: These practices preserve traditional forms and movements that embody the African landscape. They maintain the bodily knowledge and movement patterns passed down through generations, keeping the connection to the African continent alive.
3. Artistic Syntax: Africontinued practices focus on preservation and often retain a sacred quality. They emphasize maintaining the original forms and meanings, creating a sense of continuity and sanctity in their artistic expressions.

Afri-retentive Practices (Prestø 2016)

Afri-retentive practices refer to traditions that have evolved within the diaspora. These practices are rooted in African aesthetics, philosophies, and practices but have adapted to new circumstances and environments, reflecting the unique experiences of diasporic communities.

Subcategories:

1. Diasporic Artistic Displacement: This involves changes in traditional African artistic expressions due to new cultural environments. Practices or dances may retain their original names but change significantly due to influences like acculturation and the erosion of cultural memory.
2. Diasporic Artistic Repurposing: This is the intentional reshaping of African cultural traditions to better reflect the experiences of diasporic communities. It involves reclaiming and reimagining traditions to remain relevant and meaningful.

Key Elements:

1. Historico-cultural Semiotics: Afri-retentive forms blend primordial rhythms with diasporic influences, reflecting a synthesis of old and new cultural elements. This helps understand how these practices convey their historical and cultural significance in a contemporary context.
2. Corporeal Epistemologies: These practices mix ancestral wisdom with new diasporic innovations, illustrating how the body becomes a site of cultural negotiation and transformation.
3. Artistic Syntax: Afri-retentive practices incorporate new influences, creating a dynamic and multifaceted artistic language that reflects the diverse and evolving nature of cultural expressions within the diaspora.

Research Methodology

Fieldwork

Extensive travels and stays in various Caribbean and African locations to observe, participate in, and document cultural practices. This hands-on approach provides direct insights into living traditions and their contemporary manifestations.

Embodied Research Practices

Active participation in dances, rituals, and musical performances to gain an intimate understanding of the rhythms and movements from within the cultural context. This method emphasizes learning through direct physical engagement rather than distant observation.

Collaborations with Practitioners

Building relationships with renowned drummers, dancers, and cultural custodians to access deeper layers of knowledge. These collaborations are crucial for gaining authentic insights and understanding the nuances of cultural practices.

Oral Histories and Interviews

Conducting interviews and discussions with elders and cultural guardians to collect oral histories, communal narratives, and intergenerational memories. This component emphasizes the importance of oral traditions in preserving cultural knowledge.

Rhythmic Analysis

Focusing on specific rhythms and their variations across different sites to trace cultural connections and influences. This analysis involves detailed study and comparison of rhythmic patterns, instruments, and performance styles.

Heuristic Approach of “Following the Rhythm”

Using rhythm as a primary guide to navigate the complex cultural landscape. This approach allows the researcher to identify and map the interconnectedness of various cultural elements across the Atlantic divide.

Integrating Africontinued and Afri-retentive Perspectives

1. Historico-cultural Semiotics: Analyze how traditions reflect and maintain their historical and cultural significance, whether through preservation or adaptation.
2. Corporeal Epistemologies: Investigate how bodily movements and traditional forms are retained or transformed within diasporic contexts, illustrating the interplay between ancestral wisdom and new innovations.
3. Artistic Syntax: Examine the artistic language of cultural expressions, focusing on how traditional forms are preserved (Africontinued) or how they evolve and incorporate new influences (Afri-retentive).

Conclusion

The integration of Africontinued and Afri-retentive practices into the research methodology of the Poly-Diasporic Matrix offers a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of how African diasporic cultures balance tradition and innovation. This approach highlights the resilience and adaptability of these cultures, providing valuable insights into their historical trajectories, cultural origins, and evolving expressions. By employing a multifaceted and immersive research methodology, the study not only uncovers the depth of African influences in the Caribbean but also celebrates the dynamic and multifaceted nature of diasporic cultural expressions.

 

AFRICAN RHYTHM NATIONS WITHIN CARIBBEAN POLY-DIASPORIC SITES

	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION	RHYTHM NATION	RHYTHM NATION	RHYTHM NATION	RHYTHM NATION	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Rada	Rada	Rada	Rada	Rada
	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe
	Mahi		Mahi	Mahi	Mahi
	Jéje		Jéje	Jéje	Jéje	Jéje
	Arárá	Arárá		Arárá
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba
	Nago	Nago	Nago	Nago/Ketu	Nago	Nago
	Gade/Gede		Gade/Gede	Gade/Gede	Gade/Gede
	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu
	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo
	Bangala		Bangala	Bangala	Bangala	Bangala
	Tshiluba/Luba		Tshiluba/Luba	Tshiluba/Luba	Tshiluba/Luba
	Ovinbundu			Ovinbundu
	Mbundu		Mbundu	Mbundu	Mbundu
	Lunda		Lunda	Lunda	Lunda
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof
	Serer		Serer	Serer	Serer
	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka
	Fula	Fula	Fula	Fula	Fula
	Jola		Jola	Jola	Jola
	Aku		Aku	Aku
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti
	Akyem		Akyem	Akyem	Akyem
	Fante		Fante	Fante	Fante
	Bono		Bono	Bono	Bono
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo
	Annang		Annang	Annang	Annang
	Efik		Efik	Efik	Efik	Efik
	Ekid		Ekid	Ekid	Ekid
	Oron	Oron		Oron		Oron
	Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno
	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari
	Awome		Awome	Awome	Awome

By Rhythm Culture

FON, EWE & DAHOMEY

RHYTHM NATION	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
Rada	Rada	Rada	Rada	Rada	Rada
Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe	Ewe
Mahi	Mahi			Mahi	Mahi	Mahi
Jéje	Jéje		Jéje	Jéje	Jéje	Jéje
Arárá	Arárá	Arárá		Arárá

YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE

RHYTHM NATION	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba	Yoruba
Nago	Nago	Nago	Nago	Nago/Ketu	Nago	Nago
Gade/Gede			Gade/Gede	Gade/Gede	Gade/Gede
Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa	Iyesa

KONGO-ANGOLA

RHYTHM NATION	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu	Bantu
BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo	BaKongo
Bangala			Bangala	Bangala	Bangala	Bangala
Tshiluba/Luba	Tshiluba/Luba		Tshiluba/Luba	Tshiluba/Luba	Tshiluba/Luba
Ovinbundu				Ovinbundu
Mbundu	Mbundu		Mbundu	Mbundu	Mbundu
Lunda	Lunda		Lunda	Lunda	Lunda

SENEGAMBIA REGION

RHYTHM NATION	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof	Wolof
Serer			Serer	Serer	Serer
Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka	Mandinka
Fula	Fula	Fula	Fula	Fula	Fula
Jola	Jola		Jola	Jola	Jola
Aku	Aku			Aku

AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”

RHYTHM NATION	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti	Ashanti
Akyem	Akyem		Akyem	Akyem	Akyem
Fante	Fante		Fante	Fante	Fante
Bono	Bono		Bono	Bono	Bono

IBIBIO & IGBO

RHYTHM NATION	HAITI	CUBA	JAMAICA	TRINBAGO	BRAZIL	BELIZE
Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo	Igbo
Annang	Annang		Annang	Annang	Annang
Efik	Efik		Efik	Efik	Efik	Efik
Ekid	Ekid		Ekid	Ekid	Ekid
Oron	Oron	Oron		Oron		Oron
Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno	Ibeno
Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari	Kalabari
Awome	Awome		Awome	Awome	Awome

By Country

HAITI

RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Rada
	Ewe
	Mahi
	Jéje
	Arárá
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba
	Nago
	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu
	BaKongo
	Tshiluba/Luba
	Ovinbundu
	Mbundu
	Lunda
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof
	Mandinka
	Fula
	Jola
	Aku
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti
	Akyem
	Fante
	Bono
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo
	Annang
	Efik
	Ekid
	Oron
	Ibeno
	Kalabari
	Awome

CUBA

RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Rada
	Ewe
	Arárá
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba
	Nago
	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu
	BaKongo
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof
	Mandinka
	Fula
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo
	Annang
	Efik
	Oron
	Ibeno
	Kalabari

JAMAICA

RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Rada
	Ewe
	Mahi
	Jéje
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba
	Nago
	Gade/Gede
	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu
	BaKongo
	Bangala
	Tshiluba/Luba
	Mbundu
	Lunda
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof
	Serer
	Mandinka
	Fula
	Jola
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti
	Akyem
	Fante
	Bono
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo
	Annang
	Efik
	Ekid
	Oron
	Ibeno
	Kalabari
	Awome

TRINBAGO

RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Rada
	Ewe
	Mahi
	Jéje
	Arárá
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba
	Nago
	Gade/Gede
	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu
	BaKongo
	Bangala
	Tshiluba/Luba
	Mbundu
	Lunda
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof
	Serer
	Mandinka
	Fula
	Jola
	Aku
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti
	Akyem
	Fante
	Bono
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo
	Annang
	Efik
	Ekid
	Oron
	Ibeno
	Kalabari
	Awome

BRAZIL

RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Rada
	Ewe
	Mahi
	Jéje
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba
	Nago/Ketu
	Gade/Gede
	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu
	BaKongo
	Bangala
	Tshiluba/Luba
	Ovinbundu
	Mbundu
	Lunda
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof
	Serer
	Mandinka
	Fula
	Jola
	Aku
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti
	Akyem
	Fante
	Bono
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo
	Annang
	Efik
	Ekid
	Oron
	Ibeno
	Kalabari
	Awome

 

 

BELIZE

RHYTHM CULTURE	RHYTHM NATION
FON, EWE & DAHOMEY	Ewe
	Mahi
	Jéje
YORUBA, NAGO and GADE/GEDE	Yoruba
	Nago
	Gade/Gede
	Iyesa
KONGO-ANGOLA	Bantu
	BaKongo
	Bangala
SENEGAMBIA REGION	Wolof
	Mandinka
	Jola
AKAN/ASHANTI & “KOROMANTI”	Ashanti
	Akyem
	Fante
IBIBIO & IGBO	Igbo
	Efik
	Oron
	Ibeno
	Kalabari

By Rhythm Nation

Rada

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Rada
CUBA	Rada
JAMAICA	Rada
TRINBAGO	Rada
BRAZIL	Rada
BELIZE

 

Ewe

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Ewe
CUBA	Ewe
JAMAICA	Ewe
TRINBAGO	Ewe
BRAZIL	Ewe
BELIZE	Ewe

Mahi

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Mahi
CUBA
JAMAICA
TRINBAGO	Mahi
BRAZIL	Mahi
BELIZE	Mahi

Jéje

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Jéje
CUBA
JAMAICA	Jéje
TRINBAGO	Jéje
BRAZIL	Jéje
BELIZE	Jéje

Arárá

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Arárá
CUBA	Arárá
JAMAICA
TRINBAGO	Arárá
BRAZIL
BELIZE

 

Yoruba

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Yoruba
CUBA	Yoruba
JAMAICA	Yoruba
TRINBAGO	Yoruba
BRAZIL	Yoruba
BELIZE	Yoruba

Nago

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Nago
CUBA	Nago
JAMAICA	Nago
TRINBAGO	Nago/Ketu
BRAZIL	Nago
BELIZE	Nago

Gade/Gede

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA
JAMAICA	Gade/Gede
TRINBAGO	Gade/Gede
BRAZIL	Gade/Gede
BELIZE	Gade/Gede

Iyesa

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Iyesa
CUBA	Iyesa
JAMAICA	Iyesa
TRINBAGO	Iyesa
BRAZIL	Iyesa
BELIZE	Iyesa

 

Bantu

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Bantu
CUBA	Bantu
JAMAICA	Bantu
TRINBAGO	Bantu
BRAZIL	Bantu
BELIZE	Bantu

BaKongo

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	BaKongo
CUBA	BaKongo
JAMAICA	BaKongo
TRINBAGO	BaKongo
BRAZIL	BaKongo
BELIZE	BaKongo

Bangala

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA
JAMAICA	Bangala
TRINBAGO	Bangala
BRAZIL	Bangala
BELIZE	Bangala

Tshiluba/Luba

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Tshiluba/Luba
CUBA
JAMAICA	Tshiluba/Luba
TRINBAGO	Tshiluba/Luba
BRAZIL	Tshiluba/Luba
BELIZE

 

Ovinbundu

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA
JAMAICA
TRINBAGO	Ovinbundu
BRAZIL
BELIZE

Mbundu

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Mbundu
CUBA
JAMAICA	Mbundu
TRINBAGO	Mbundu
BRAZIL	Mbundu
BELIZE

 

 

 

 

Lunda

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Lunda
CUBA
JAMAICA	Lunda
TRINBAGO	Lunda
BRAZIL	Lunda
BELIZE

Wolof

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Wolof
CUBA	Wolof
JAMAICA	Wolof
TRINBAGO	Wolof
BRAZIL	Wolof
BELIZE	Wolof

Serer

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA
JAMAICA	Serer
TRINBAGO	Serer
BRAZIL	Serer
BELIZE

Mandinka

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Mandinka
CUBA	Mandinka
JAMAICA	Mandinka
TRINBAGO	Mandinka
BRAZIL	Mandinka
BELIZE	Mandinka

 

Fula

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Fula
CUBA	Fula
JAMAICA	Fula
TRINBAGO	Fula
BRAZIL	Fula
BELIZE

Jola

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA	Jola
JAMAICA	Jola
TRINBAGO	Jola
BRAZIL	Jola
BELIZE

Aku

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA	Aku
JAMAICA
TRINBAGO	Aku
BRAZIL
BELIZE

Ashanti

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Ashanti
CUBA	Ashanti
JAMAICA	Ashanti
TRINBAGO	Ashanti
BRAZIL	Ashanti
BELIZE	Ashanti

Akyem

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Akyem
CUBA
JAMAICA	Akyem
TRINBAGO	Akyem
BRAZIL	Akyem
BELIZE	Akyem

Fante

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA	Fante
JAMAICA	Fante
TRINBAGO	Fante
BRAZIL	Fante
BELIZE	Fante

Bono

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI
CUBA	Bono
JAMAICA	Bono
TRINBAGO	Bono
BRAZIL	Bono
BELIZE	Bono

Igbo

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Igbo
CUBA	Igbo
JAMAICA	Igbo
TRINBAGO	Igbo
BRAZIL	Igbo
BELIZE	Igbo

Annang

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Annang
CUBA
JAMAICA	Annang
TRINBAGO	Annang
BRAZIL	Annang
BELIZE	Annang

Efik

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Efik
CUBA
JAMAICA	Efik
TRINBAGO	Efik
BRAZIL	Efik
BELIZE	Efik

Ekid

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Ekid
CUBA
JAMAICA	Ekid
TRINBAGO	Ekid
BRAZIL	Ekid
BELIZE

Oron

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Oron
CUBA	Oron
JAMAICA
TRINBAGO	Oron
BRAZIL
BELIZE	Oron

 

 

Ibeno

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Ibeno
CUBA	Ibeno
JAMAICA	Ibeno
TRINBAGO	Ibeno
BRAZIL	Ibeno
BELIZE	Ibeno

Kalabari

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Kalabari
CUBA	Kalabari
JAMAICA	Kalabari
TRINBAGO	Kalabari
BRAZIL	Kalabari
BELIZE	Kalabari

Awome

COUNTRY	PRESENCE
HAITI	Awome
CUBA
JAMAICA	Awome
TRINBAGO	Awome
BRAZIL	Awome
BELIZE	Awome