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Mas Domnik: carnival under its real name

Mas Domnik is Dominica’s carnival said in Creole. Two words that set the tone: here, carnival has remained a matter of traditions, the street and bouyon music.

A carnival in kwéyòl

The name Mas Domnik is a reminder that Dominica is a Creole island above all. The language of carnival, like that of bouyon, blends kwéyòl and English. The singers’ calls, the refrains taken up by the crowd and the names of the bands tell the island’s story in its own language.

Bouyon, the official music of the Mas

Since the 1990s, bouyon has been the music of Mas Domnik: the year’s tracks are played in the bands, the sound systems and the fetes that precede the two big days. That is where artists’ reputations are made.

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