FRG24-CAE- RESPECT-Heritage GWO KA

Gain awareness on our local music traditions. Learn the origins of Gwo Ka and the seven different rhythms of this music inherited from the slavery time. While promoting qualities of improvisation, Gwo Ka strengthens identity and provides a feeling of collective valorisation and individual pride by carrying values of conviviality, resistance and dignity.  

On the 11th January 2024 the students from 7th and 8th grade had a outing day to the theater followed by a music session in the afternoon. During this music session with the organisation Gwadloup KTAM directed by Joel Séjor ( a major player in Guadeloupe GwoKa industry), our students learnt the history of GwoKa, its roots and its seven rythms. With Joel Sejor’s help they learnt to play the seven rythms (Toumblak, Kaladja, Woulé, Padjambèl, Mendé, Graj, Léwoz). They also learnt to improvise and to make their own song based on those seven rythms. Our 20 students had 5 minutes each to improvised a song of their own.
After the learning session we all went to Joel Sejor’s Ka workshop (the Ka being the instrument itself, the Gwo Ka being the music) where he showed us how he is building the Ka and all the different steps to build such an amazing instrument.    

Our students were thrilled to have lean so much about a music which rocked them throughout their childhood but which origins and meaning they barely knew. Learning and playing Gwo ka had help them to valorise themselves but also during this moment of conviviality they embraced their culture and each one was proud to play a music carrying to much values for the Caribbean nations.