I want to be honest. Pursuing my goal (locating a popular song sung in a minority language from each region that we study) never seemed more futile than in the Carribean. The region is comprised of countries whose music scenes are dominated by songs in their official language or in an unofficial creole spoken by most of the population.
In the end, while my selection may be a minority language song only on a mere technicality, I still enjoy it immensely, both as a piece of music and as a representation of the lingusitic complexities of this region. The Grammacks hail from the primarily English-speaking country of Dominica. However, this record was produced by a company based in the primarily-French speaking country of Martinique. The song itself sounds like it is in an English-based creole while being licensed and released by a record company from a primarily French-speaking country.
Such a juxtaposition illustrates the blurring and intermixing of cultures which occurs among the many island nations of this region which has been shaped by heavy colonization by multiple European powers. The Carribean is a region with many creoles, such that most Carribeans are familiar with a variety of languages, engaging in music production and consumption beyond their nation’s official language.
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