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Haiti 1: Folk Music / Various on CD

Folklorist, ethnographer and ethnomusicologist Harold Courlander, known for his important early work documenting the "vast unwritten literature, dances, music" of the Haitian peasants, released these field recordings from the mountain villages of Haiti before nearly any other recordings were available. Among this collection are songs to accompany work or dance and invocations of the lwa-yo (or spirits). in typical fashion, many are based around moralizations or colorful proverbs. The intricate ritual drumming and chanting of Haiti is often said to be the best preservation of the African Congo, Dahomey and Ibo musical traditions from the pre-slave era in the world (even in comparison to the musical practices of these African regions now).