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The History of Haitian Music

Like so many other music genres, Haitian music is wildly influenced by other cultures. You can find Spanish, French and African flavors the music produced in Haiti. The island was first taken over by the Spanish in 1492. The French eventually showed up and started to import African slaves. This is where the mix of cultures comes from.

  1. Vodou

    • This is one of the first types of musical styles adopted by the Haitians. It is made up of mostly Africa rituals and spiritualism with just a hint of European flavor.

    Rara

    • Rara is another one of the oldest dances in Haiti, with close ties to Vodou. This dance is performed primarily on Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday.

    Mizik Rasin

    • Late in the 1970s parts of reggae, funk and rock started to blend with the popular dances. This came after citizens were fed up with Duvalier dictatorship and strived for a new way of life.

    Mini Jazz

    • In 1915, Americans started to invade the island. Mini Jazz is a type of vodou jazz, and the Haitians way of rejecting the Americans.

    Haitian Rap

    • One of the newest types of music, Haitian Rap was a statement of social views and political issues. Artists like Mystik 703 and Seca Konsa was highly received by the natives.

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