Guyanese Folk Songs And Sheet Music
(10) ten songs minimum per order
Queh Queh
These songs are usually sung by the older folk, nights before a wedding ceremony. There are usually different stages to Queh Queh (Pre-Nuptial) performance. GANDA is opened by sprinkling RUM (alcohol) on the floor, by the doors and windows, inviting the spirits of the dead to join in the celebration, the greeting song "Goo'night Ay'" is raised by the caller; this is followed by the general invitation "COME TO MY QUEH QUEH", THE BUYING OF THE BRIDE, songs commenting on her suitability for marriage, then THE BUYING OF THE GROOM songs and speech, advising on matrimonial matters, THE DEMAND FOR A DEMONSTRATION OF the couple's sexual skills " Show Me Yuh Science or motion" and ending with the departure song "Las Wan, Las Wan".
The QUEH QUEH repertoire
comprises of hundreds of songs. There is no limit to the
number of times a song is repeated but when one of the
participants shouts "BATTO" the
lead singer must end that song and begin another. This go
on from sunset to day break with intervals for eating and
drinking. Queh Queh Songs words & Sheet Music
Ring Play Songs
These are usually sung by
children, on moonlight nights in the rural areas of GUYANA, or during recreation
periods at school or at home. Adults often indulge to enliven the vicinity on
special occasions such as weddings or wakes. Most of these songs take the form
of a circle of players with one person in the middle of the ring. In other
occasions there are two opposing straight lines.
Words & Sheet-Music for RING
PLAY SONGS
Work Songs / Love Songs Boat Songs / Plantation Songs
Shanties / Porknocker Songs Amerindian Songs, ETC.,
Work songs include the BOAT songs and
SHANTIES and all the songs of people who pull together,
whether they are carpenters raising a house or
porknockers riding the rapids on a river. A song could be
based on any incident e.g., " Itanami"
The emotions of a first timer dreading the rapids of the
river on his journey into the BUSH (interior of Guyana)
Included in this group are plantation songs, mirroring
aspects of plantation life during slavery. AMERINDIAN
(for want of a better term) to ensure a successful
hunting season or celebrating the completion of
some community activity.
Words & Sheet-Music for the above stated