Batuque (Cape Verde)

As a music genre, the batuque is characterized by having an andante tempo, a 6/8 or 3/4 measure and traditionally it is just melodic, i.e., it is just sung, it has no polyphonic accompaniment. When compared with the other musical genres from Cape Verde, the batuque has a call and response structure, and it is the only genre that is polyrhythmic. In fact, analyzing the rhythm, one finds out that it is a 3-beat rhythm over a 2-beat rhythm. . In its traditional form, the batuque is organized as if it were an orchestral crescendo. It possesses two movements (if we may call them so): In older times the music began with an introduction on the cimboa that provided the base musical line. Nowadays the usage of that instrument is extinct. The first movement is called, in Creole, galion . In this movement one of the performers (called batukaderas ) executes a polyrhythmic hit, while the others execute a 2-beat hit, clapping hands or slapping a cloth. == As a dance ==

As a dance, the traditional batuque follows a precise ritual. In a batuque session, a group of performers (almost always just women) gather themselves in a circle in a scenario that is called terreru . This scenario does not have to be a precise location, it may be a back yard in a house or it may be a public square, for instance. The musical piece begins with the players (that may be simultaneously or not batukaderas and kantaderas) executing the first movement, while one of the players goes to the center to perform the dance. In this first movement the dance is made only with body swinging, with an alternate movement of the legs playing the downbeat. In the second movement, while the players perform the rhythm and sing in unison, the dancer changes the dancing. Now, the dancing (called da ku tornu ) is made with a hip swing managed through the quick flexion of the knees, accompanying the rhythm. When the song is over, the dancer pulls back and another takes her place, and a new song begins. These performings may last for hours until the end of the batuque session. ==History==

The batuque is probably the oldest musical genre in Cape Verde, but there are written records of it only from the 19th century. Presently, it is found only in Santiago, notably Tarrafal, however, there are clues that it existed in all the islands of Cape Verde. According to Carlos Gonçalves, the batuque is not a musical genre that originated in the African continent. It may be an adaptation of some African dance that later has developed its own characteristics in Cape Verde. The Portuguese administration and the Church have always been hostile to the batuque, because it was considered “African”, but during the policy of Estado Novo this hostility was stronger. The batuque has even been forbidden in urban centers and it was a dying musical genre from the 1950s. After independence there has been an interest in the revival of some musical genres. It was in the nineties that the batuque experienced a true rebirth with young composers (such as Orlando Pantera, Tcheka, Vadú) doing research work and giving a new form to the batuque, now sung by young singers (such as Lura, Mayra Andrade, Nancy Vieira). Batuque is equally important in the development of jazz creole in the islands, one of the notable group is Raiz Tambarina. == Meaning ==

In ancient times the batuque had a precise social meaning. It was performed in holy days, in certain ceremonial occasions, in feasts, before and during weddings. There are some scholars who speculate that the dance movement of the batuque has a sexual meaning and the goal was to promote the fertility of the bride. Nowadays, the batuque has lost its original meaning. It has been transformed in a stage performance, and it is performed in official acts, in parties or it is used by some groups to give an example of Cape Verdean folklore. ==Examples of batuques==

• «Batuco» by Bulimundoperformed by Bulimundo in the album «Batuco» (ed. Black Power Records, Rotterdam, Ref. Lp 2233 — 1981) • «Maria Júlia» by Gil Semedoperformed by Gil & The Perfects in the album «Verdadi» (ed. GIVA, ? — 1996) • «Rabóita di Rubõ Manel» by Orlando Panteraperformed by Lura in the album «Di korpu ku alma» (ed. Lusáfrica, Paris — 2004) • «Dispidida» by Orlando Panteraperformed by Mayra Andrade in the album Navega (ed. ?, ? — 2006) • «» by Lateral e Rolando Semedoperformed by Nancy Vieira in the album «Lus» (Light) (ed. HM Música, Lisboa — 2007) == In popular culture ==

• The musical and dance style give its name to a football (soccer) club in Mindelo in São Vicente named Batuque FC • The 2006 film Batuque, the Soul of a People was a film related to this genre of music, it was directed and written by Júlio Silvão Tavares. • American singer-songwriter Madonna references and uses elements of Batuque in her song "Batuka" from the album Madame X. ==Literature==