Carnegie Hall

Aim: How do steady beat and rhythm work together in Haitian folk music?
Summary: Students will learn to sing “Panama Mwen Tombe,” discuss rhythm and beat, and learn about the tanbou drum.
Materials: Musical Explorers digital resources, Musical Explorers Student Guide
Standards: National 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11; NYC 1, 2, 3, 4
Vocabulary: tanbou

“Panama Mwen Tombe” is a popular folk song in Haiti with lyrics that seem simple and childlike. But the song is actually believed to refer to the unexpected death of former Haitian President Florvil Hyppolite in 1896. Legend has it that while he was on his way to Jacmel to secure the city from attack, his hat fell off, which is a bad omen in Haiti. Ignoring this, he mounted his horse and continued on his way, but before he got there, he had a heart attack, fell off his horse, and died. The song has been reinterpreted many times, reflecting Haiti’s evolving politics and offering a warning to politicians about the desire for too much power.

• The tanbou drum is the national instrument of Haiti. The body of the drum is made from wood. The head of the drum is made from an animal skin, usually from a cow or goat. The tanbou drum is played with your hands. A variety of sounds can be produced depending on what part of the hand is used, and what part of the drumhead is played.
• Explain that the tanbou drum plays the traditional compas rhythms that propel the compas dance.
• Use Explore the Tanbou Drum (PDF).

In Little Fanfan Sings and Dances in Haiti by Susan Gleason Pierre-Louis, Little Fanfan describes Haiti for the reader, from what the island looks like to how its people celebrate Haiti’s birthday on January 1!