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Bois, French for stick, has come a long way from its early beginnings in the Calenda, where folk music, dance, and martial arts were all incorporated to create the Boismen of the Gayelle, showcased during our carnival celebrations. For this post, we feature a news clip from Newsday.TT and an educational video from the YouTube channel "RomeInCarnival." Watch the video to discover some key elements that contribute to being a 'good stickfighter'!
The following is an excerpt from Newsday TT:
The tradition dates back to the days of slavery when men would duel with sticks (bois) in the center of rings or gayelles. In TT there are two types of stick-fighting traditions: kalinda and gatka.
The National Stick-Fight Competition observes the kalinda form. Martial traditions from Central and West Africa, as well as the Oromo people of Ethiopia, form the basis of Kalinda. Gatka is a combat training style developed by Sikhs and brought to Trinidad by indentured laborers from Southern Asia (Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, according to the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and The Arts’ Facebook page).
Variations of Kalinda exist from community to community. Different training styles exist, and these are based on the style passed on from generation to generation.
- The Gayelle is the space where the battle between two stick fighters takes place.
- The victor is the fighter who draws blood first. The fight is accompanied by a dance known as “Carray.”
- An important part of the Gayelle is the music. The chantwell guides the call and response process.
- Every village has its own chantwell who sings the praises of their champion stick-fighter or knows the right song that will bring out the fighter’s warrior spirit. The chantwell is the “forefather” of the calypsonian.
RomeInCarnival - Stick Fighting