Photo©triniinxisle.com
Boom Boom… “Nah, nah, nah that bamboo sounded louder than mine… heat it up more come on blow and make that bamboo sing”. Bamboo Cannons were common place in Trinidad, especially during the season of Christmas, however one can be charged for noise making in today's society. Times have surely changed. No one bothered us, back in the day, as we competed for the loudest boom.
Boom… Arghhh. What happened, yuh Ok? This was a classic case of over exuberance because the bamboo back fired and the result was roast manicou. OK, "roast manicou" is also know as synged eyebrows that happened from a 'back-fired' bamboo blast. Sheesh, I can tell you I have experience this many times 'bussing bamboo'!
Bamboo 'boom boom' season was the best back in the day. We used to head down to the forest to get our bamboos from one of the finest bamboo patch that I knew of in the bush. That area is now a housing settlement and the bamboo is gone. The older guys would tell us (a learning process) which were the best bamboos to use to get that loud booming sound.
Later on I learned how to hollow out the joints and cut the hole to the right size to pull the trigger on the shot. Of course you needed some pitch oil and a flam-beau to work with during the night (it was best done at nights to emphasize the boom). It was a drum (well boom conversation) back and forth we went until we were too tired or our ears were ringing from the booms.
Today that is considered a noise nuisance and it controlled by laws and more than likely ‘sophisticated neighbors’ who won’t tolerate it anymore.
From The Caribbean Dictionary:
Type of fireworks done during holidays, such as Divali and Christmas. It consists of a large bamboo and a mixture of calcium carbide and water. The chemical reaction formed as a result of mixing calcium carbide with water inside the bamboo produces acetylene, an explosive gas. The acetylene explodes when a flame is introduced to the mixture. The explosion may cause severe injury if not handled carefully. Kerosene is also used as a fuel. Less than a cup (about 200ml) of hot kerosene is poured into a small hole near the breach of the cannon. A lighting stick is used to ignite the fumes and fire the cannon. Then fresh air is blown into the small hole and the cannon is fired again. It takes some practice to make the loudest bang. The bamboo is usually around 4 to 6 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 feet long.
http://wiwords.com/word/buss-bamboo
Leave a comment or drop a line at: sokah2soca@gmail.com. We obtained a YouTube clip showing how it is done in Trinidad. From The Caribbean Dictionary:
Type of fireworks done during holidays, such as Divali and Christmas. It consists of a large bamboo and a mixture of calcium carbide and water. The chemical reaction formed as a result of mixing calcium carbide with water inside the bamboo produces acetylene, an explosive gas. The acetylene explodes when a flame is introduced to the mixture. The explosion may cause severe injury if not handled carefully. Kerosene is also used as a fuel. Less than a cup (about 200ml) of hot kerosene is poured into a small hole near the breach of the cannon. A lighting stick is used to ignite the fumes and fire the cannon. Then fresh air is blown into the small hole and the cannon is fired again. It takes some practice to make the loudest bang. The bamboo is usually around 4 to 6 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 feet long.
http://wiwords.com/word/buss-bamboo