What is rara?

Rara is a musical style developed on Haiti, which is most often used for shows and marches. It is especially common to see how it is used during the Lent Week, and throughout Easter for weeks. Old Rara, from a thematic point of view, celebrates the culture of the Haitians, their connection with Africa and the Haitian beliefs of Voodoo. Modern forms can be composed for addressing social and political issues. Sometimes political candidates hire composer Rara to write songs for them that they can use during their campaigns. When the slaves were brought to Haiti, these forms from several different tribes mixed after several next generations to produce rar. The music is uniquely festive and uses numerous drums that are played energy. Trumpets usually made of recycled cans are also easy to use. In modern rara, brass and reed tools are common and any percussion instrument, such as bells or shakes of any type, can be part of music. SingingVáci sing in Haitian Creole or Kreyol and keep the music tightly tied to its origin. Modern Rara is very popular on the Haitian radio and can mix funk or blues to give music a modern feeling.

Political instability in Haiti has sometimes led to the fact that the style was banned, especially because its texts can be openly critical of social problems or government leaders. Attempts to be forbidden to do this probably only made more popular. Instead, Rara can "go underground" until the political regime that allows music comes to power.

In fact, some musicians Rara became political leaders. Manno Charlemagne was one such musician whose participation in musical style resulted in his exile from Haiti. When Rara again accepted at the age of 90, Charlemagne returned to Haiti and became the mayor of Port-Au-Prince.

You don't have to travel to HaitI to hear the rara. Each area, especially the urban area with a large number of Haitian immigrants in the US, will probably have a radio station that plays this music. In the US, fans can play their favorite Rara melodies throughout the year, not just around Lent and Easter holidays. If you are more interested in the history and development of style, Elizabeth McALister has written one of the best books on this topic. Her book, rara: Vouka, Power and Performance in Haiti and her diaspora , is considered not only fun but also one of the best scientific works on this topic.