SURINAMESE EAST INDIAN (HINDUSTANI) MUSIC

Surinamese of East Indian descent, arrived in the late 19th century from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in northern India, which is also the origin of Surinamese East Indian music, alternately referred to as Sarnami-Hindustani music. It arose in a country of several different ethnic groups. This means emotions and musical patterns of other population groups can be heard in it. The sitar and tabla are often used across the entire spectrum of the world of Surinamese music. An example is the interplay of tabla, the Creole apinti drum, and congas. This chapter discusses the instruments and Indian musical styles in Suriname such as Baithak gana, developed especially by a second generation of Surinamese Hindustanis. Musicians sit on the ground and make use of simple texts and a sober musical accompaniment, which usually consists of harmonium, dholak, and dandtaal. The texts are in the Surinamese-Hindustani language.