https://lakoumizik.bandcamp.com/track/panama-m-tonbe "One of the most famous songs in the Haitian traditional repertoire. This song is based on an old proverb that stems from the story of Haitian president Florvill Hyppolite, who in the late 1890s, as legend has it, was en route to Jacmel in southern Haiti to put down a rebellion. On the way, his panama hat fell, and soon after he had a heart attack and died. Now in Haiti, whenever someone’s hat falls on the ground it means trouble is coming. The songs’ chorus says “My panama hat has fallen, please pick it up for me” which is a call for help against the impending trouble. This version takes the traditional story and expands the idea into the larger concept of troubles that Haiti has faced, referencing as far back as the revolution of 1804, and asking the ancestors and elders to help Haiti pick up it’s metaphorical “Panama hat” so that it can move forward.
lyrics
I am coming from Jacmel’s city, heading to Lavallee
Arriving at Bainet Station, my Panama hat falls down (x2)
Chorus
My Panama hat has fallen, my hat Panama has fallen
My hat Panama has fallen, those who are behind me pick it up (x2)
(Verse)
(Chorus)
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to the elders
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to my ancestors
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I tell to the elders
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to Lakou
It has fallen, since 1804 they said that we’re free
It has fallen, chains left our feet but stayed in our mind
It has fallen, that’s why our country can’t develop
Time is passing, we are getting older
I say it has fallen
It has fallen, since 1804 they said that we are free
It has fallen, chains left our feet but stayed in our mind
It has fallen, that’s why our country can’t develop, time flies
Lakou
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to my mother
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to my country
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to my elders
It has fallen, pick it up for me, what shall I say to Lakou
It has fallen, pick it up for me"
credits
Whatever the exact source of the chants, “Iko Iko” tells the story of two competing tribes confronting each other at a parade. And though “Sugar Boy” Crawford recorded it in 1953, The Dixie Cups (2 sisters and a cousin) said they learned the song from their grandmother, making it much older. The Dixie Cups recorded it in 1965; apparently it was not planned, they were just messing around in the studio, not knowing that the tape was rolling. Here’s a live clip of them singing “Iko Iko”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5GzVZjd0iI"...
****
It seems incredible that this song is so recognizable to
generations of Americans – but it has no definitive meaning. If you Google “Iko
Iko” or “Aiko Aiko” or “Jockomo” or “Jock-A-Mo” (All different titles for the
same song) you’ll find many fascinating articles full of transliterations of a
language variably described as Native American, or West African, or French
Creole. Or all of the above.
Everyone does agree that this song is from New Orleans and is about Mardi Gras. It’s traditionally sung by parade krewes, “battling” each other in celebration with song, dance, and incredible costumes. What’s a krewe, you ask? Parade krewes are the social organizations that put on specific parades and/or balls for a given season. The oldest krewe in New Orleans dates back to 1856!
Unlike the mysterious chorus of “Iko Iko,” the verses are in English and contain playful jabs sung back and forth between the battling krewes. Perhaps the reason it’s common for these battling groups to come together and sing the chorus in unison is that no one knows what it means!
When Iko Iko starts in a Mardi Gras parade, everyone joins in. The whole street sings with the call-and-response verses, dances, and drums on anything that’s available. It’s an inclusive party and no one is allowed to stand still with their mouth closed! This of course translates perfectly to Music Class where we always want all grown-ups and kids to be singing and dancing and moving to the music.
The song has been recorded so many times and with so many
different variations, we thought it would be fun to do a little time travel
with the song up to the present day. (Scroll to the end for a truly hilarious
modern-day version!!) Grab your favorite sticks/spoons/plastic sippy cups to
jam with and sing along!"...
-snip-
This article continues with a list of dates for notable recordings of "Iko Iko".
As is the case with almost all of the other online articles and discussions about "Iko Iko" that I've come across, this article focuses on speculation about what language or languages are used for the song "Iko Iko", what the song means, and when & how it is performed. The only comments that I've found that refer to "Iko Iko's tune are given immediately below.
[narrated by Kolby McWilliams and Brandon Roth]
*WARNING: This video includes a considerable amount of violence (i.e. reenactment scenes of Haitian slavery and drawings of Haitian slavery and Haitian revolution). Also, at least one commenter agreed with my sense that the production and narration of that video seemed like it was a high school project. And another commenter questioned the information that was shared in that video.
Be that as it may, I found that video's long discussion thread to be quite interesting to read, particularly the exchanges between the two commenters mentioned in that quoted example and some other commenters in that (mostly) 2020 sub-thread. I should note that a number of the commenters in that sub-thread concluded that ninpobo3876 was a troll who was a White supremacist who wrote a number of comments in that discussion thread indicating he did not like Haitians and/or other Black people.
1. @ninpobudo3876 One of the first Carnivals first held in
America was in 1699 was near New Orleans not Mississippi and it is not the same
Mardi Gras practiced today. Mardi Gras was banned in Louisiana until 1812. That
is after, 1803 what you say is when Haitians migrated to Louisiana even though
it was 1791. French owned Black slaves were brought to French owned Islands in
The Caribbean like Saint-Domingue before being brought to Louisiana. Classic
New Orleans tune called "Iko Iko" created in The 1950s has roots to
Haitian culture and sounds very similar to a Haitian children’s song called
"Panama M Tombe.. I laugh when I go to Mardi Gras in New
Orleans and see people dressed as Haitian voodoo loa Baron Samedi and dolls of
him being sold. You say you're
Choctaw-Creole, take a DNA test I guarantee you'70% or more European."
-snip-
Some information about the Haitian loa Baron Samedi is given in the comment section below for this pancocojams post.
**
2. @gaddafix4297, 2020
"@ninpobudo3876
You never answered why Baron samedi Is in Louisiana voodoo? if Haitians
don't have any influence in Louisiana Creole then why worship Baron Samedi.
Baron Samedi is only in Haitian voodoo not West African Voodoo. Also Haitians
were Migrating to the U.S before 1791, just look at Jean-Baptist-Point Du Sable
who is considered the founder of Chicago in the 1770s. Haitians have little to
do with the language but a lot to do with the culture. It's known facts that
french colonized Haiti before the Louisiana territory and you can look at a map
to see the french would have to pass Haiti before reaching the Louisiana
territory. French based Haitians and
African based Haitians traveled between saint domingue and Louisiana. Just
because someone has french Dna doesn't mean they do not have Haitian influence.
Also you never answered why ""iko iko"" sounds just like
Panama m Tombe. You may have to have a talk with your PHD buddies."
****
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