Kalenda: Stick Fighting and Musical Genre in Trinidad
“They shout: Life! They cry: Hurrah! They drink a rum and say: Fuck it!”
Kalinda is a form of martial arts and folk music that takes place in the caribbean. This ritual dance is an art form that was performed by slaves during the 17th century. Two combatants dressed in costumes and perform a stick-fighting dance that is accompanied by drums. While sometimes performers just wear street clothes, the costumes usually consist of a head tie, shiny decorations, feathers, and stockings. Kalenda evolved to incorporate a singing element that involves a call and response led by a chantwell. Men, women, and children sing along to the stick fighters who fight to the beat of drums. Many of the participating slaves traced the art form origin back to their home countries. While the original Kalenda stems from the Kongo Kingdom, a similar form of the art took place in Egypt. Tahtib is an Ancient Egyptian stick-fighting art that later evolved into a folk dance with wooden sticks accompanied with a bass drum. There is written documentation evidence of Tahtib from the middle kingdom (2134-1778 B.C.). It began as a method of self defense before evolving into the sport it is known as. There are various spellings of the stick fighting ritual such as Kalenda- African, Calenda- Spanish, Calinda- French, and Kalinda- Hindi.
Kalenda and Its Varieties
Kalenda, with many different spellings and ever changing sound it is only logical that it changes drastically from country to country. In the beginning of the music form and stick fighting of Kalenda “its origins is African stick fighting and drumming traditions,” (Henry). African Kalenda was mainly focused on the act of stick fighting rather than the music behind it. While the components of Kalenda included the drumming it took a back seat to the search of great warriors that fought well. With jugs of water upon their heads the first one to drop water was out. However, once the European powers came and began to enslave Africans Kalenda went with the slaves and broke off into many different styles. As the enslaved Africans were spread out across the world Kalenda began to change. Kalenda in Trinidad “is more commonly practiced as a dance because of the violent outcome of stick fighting,” (Calenda Dance). Stated in this article Kalenda now is more focused on the music, yet the stick fighting is still around. Kalenda music has flourished in the face of oppression even after in Trinidad it was banned, but the music only got stronger. Kalenda around the world follows more of the modern Trinidad Kalenda sound that adds more instruments and has more of an ensemble sound. In conclusion, the early African Style of Kalenda was more focused on stick fighting. And now the modern Trinidadian Kalenda is equally focused on the music and creating a pleasing sound to accompany the stick fighting.
Kalenda As an Art
Colinda started as a martial art, and as time went on, it gradually became what it is today, as it will be talked about, a stick fight between men, symbolizing a ceremony. Different sounds meant different messages. For example, bou-doom bou-doom was a sound meaning someone has fallen. Although they borrowed tunes from the French and jewish-German immigrants, they made their own style out of it by exemplifying the syncopated rhythms. The songs they play are folk songs (calypso). These songs played at Calinda are derived from calinda chants and “lavaways” (collection of songs/battle hymns.) A well known song in these fights is the “Allons dancer Colinda.” The story is a cajun boy asking a girl named Colinda to a risque dance with him.
In conclusion, Colinda music became more involved as Colinda itself was evolving from a martial art to a ceremonial dance.
Where Is It Now?
Kalenda has come a long way from where it started centuries ago. From Africa to Trinidad, many changes have been made. Where is it now? Is this ancient martial art still practiced today, and how has it changed? Indeed, Kalenda is still practiced today, mainly in the Trinidadian region of Moruga (Silva). Historically, Kalenda was associated closely with religious and spiritual beliefs, and especially traditions of warriors and honor. Fighters would even sometimes put their sticks in the cemetery so that it could be filled with the spirit of the dead, or put it in a running river, which was said to give speed in battle (Silva). Although typically young stick fighters don’t do that anymore, there are still ceremonial rituals that the masters of the guyelle (stick fighting arena) perform before every battle. Elton De Leon, a ringmaster of the Moruga stick fighting scene explained, “We light camphor on the four corners of the ring and then we throw the rum all around so the ring is sealed” (Silva). This ritual is performed to ward off evil spirits. Much of the spiritual connections of Kalenda have been lost, but the musical connection is now stronger than ever. Due to it’s violent nature, it is more focused on the drums, singing, and dance of the event. Sometimes the battles are staged and planned out a little, to provide entertainment without doing too much harm. The chantwell singers hold the very important role of singing call and response about battle, often encouraging the fighters or intimidating the fighter on the opposing side, all while the beat of the drums goes on and on, increasing tension. Kalenda has changed a lot since it was invented, but it is still alive today.
Trinidad 🇹🇹 Stick Fight 2020 ( Moruga)
Division of Labor
Intro - Jake Kesling
Kalenda and Its Varieties - Ryan Lelli
Kalenda As an Art - Carl Reese
Where Is It Now?/Blog/works cited - Aidan Hille
Works Cited
Bernard, Shane, and Julia Girouard. “‘Colinda’: Mysterious Origins of a Cajun Folksong.” Journal of Folklore Research, vol. 29, no. 1, 1992, pp. 37–52, www.jstor.org/stable/3814282?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.
“Calenda Dance.” Music Rising ~ the Musical Cultures of the Gulf South, musicrising.tulane.edu/discover/themes/calenda-dance/.
“Calinda - Traditional Mas Archive.” Traditional Mas Archive, traditionalmas.com/portfolio/calinda/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.
Cooper, Nicole. “African Martial Arts.” Medium, 10 Aug. 2020, nicolecoop.medium.com/african-martial-arts-6fcba9aa35b2. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.
Lovelace, Earl. The Dragon Can’t Dance : A Novel. New York, Persea Books, 2002.
Shira. “Tahtib and Egyptian Raqs Al-Assaya: From Martial Art to Performing Art.” Www.shira.net, www.shira.net/about/tahtib.htm#Compare. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.
SilVa, Rad-HiCa De. “Legends of Stickfighting...” Www.guardian.co.tt, www.guardian.co.tt/article/legends-of-stickfighting-6.2.1046285.87214b8b45.
“Stick Fighting - Steelpan Teaching Resources @Mypanyard ... UK Loves Pan.” Www.mypanyard.co.uk, www.mypanyard.co.uk/History-stick-fighting-bois.html.
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