A feature-length documentary of tradition and culture in Carriacou, Grenada, WI.
A film by John Melville Bishop
Produced by the Association for Cultural Equity
Featuring Winston Fleary, elders and cultural historians, with drum makers, dancers, singers, quadrille musicians and singers, cooking specialists, boat builders, teachers, children, young people, and celebrants of the tombstone feast for Lucien Duncan and the boat launching in Carriacou in July, 2012.
Winston Fleary was dedicated to the traditions of Carriacou. He fought to bring back Carriacou culture when it was being forgotten. With determination and hard work alone, he successfully revived the drumming and dancing and the entire Big Drum culture. Now that he is no longer with us, we must continue his work, because if we don’t do it ourselves, our culture will die. It is a treasure without price. We alone can maintain it. It’s up to us.
~ Esther Fleary
This film was made for the people of Carriacou, for the remembrance and continuance of their traditions, and for the record of cultural treasures created by the world's peoples. The people of Carriacou belong to two larger world cultural traditions, that of Sub-Saharan Africa, and of Northwest Europe. The ceremonial and social traditions that African people created in Carriacou from these streams are unique in the world. It is our hope that this offering to the people of Carriacou and to their ancestors is a worthy reflection of their culture, and that it will support their preservation and continuance by new generations.
"Big Drum" will be made available free of charge to schools and cultural organizations in Carriacou, Grenada, and in corresponding communities in the U.K. and the U.S., as well as to all participants and their families. It may not be sold by Grenadian government agencies or related entities, or resold commercially, except through special arrangement with the Museum of Carriacou in Hillsborough in support of that organization.
We want to hear from you!
Write to us at: bigdrum@culturalequity.org
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/culturalequity
See full documentation of the Big Drum dance sequence, fully annotated by Winston Fleary and A. L. Wood, on YouTube: youtube.com/culturalequity
With support from the Green Family Foundation and Media-Generation.
Special thanks to Phyllis Quashie and the Quashie and Duncan families for inviting us to the Tombstone Feast.
Distributed through: the Grenada and Culture and Wellbeing Foundation (sole distributor in Grenada), The Association for Cultural Equity, Documentary Educational Resources, and Media Generation.