Fungi is the name given to the local musical form of the British Virgin Islands. Fungi music is an expression of British Virgin Islands culture as it shows the island's African and European influences in a unique sound. The name fungi comes from a local cornmeal dish of the same name. Image File history File links Information_icon. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Cornmeal products include tortillas and taco shells. ...

Fungi is a cornmeal based food which is made with different ingredients ranging from okra to onions, green peppers and is sometimes done plain. This "cook up" which is a savoury fusion of different makes something new and delicious; that is what fungi music is all about. Binomial name Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench Okra, or ladys finger, is a flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae, originating somewhere near present-day Ethiopia. ... Binomial name Allium cepa L. Many plants in the genus Allium are known by the common name onion but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa. ... Species   (incl. ...

A fungi band is based on the fusion of a wide range of instruments, many of which are homemade. The beat of the double bass is the base of a colourful mix of sounds and instruments; for this reason fungi music is an experience all its own. Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ...

The Fungi Band

The components of a fungi band or "scratch band" include:

• Ukulele
• Banjo
• Bongos
• Guitar
• Double Bass or Bass Guitar
• Keyboard
• Calabash
• Washboard
• Triangle
• Saxophone

The ukulele (Hawaiian: , IPA pronunciation: ; Anglicised pronunciation usually IPA: ), sometimes spelled ukelele (particularly in the UK) or uke, is a chordophone classified as a plucked lute; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four strings or four courses of strings. ... For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) A modern 5-string banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument of African American origin adapted from several African instruments. ... Look up bongo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The electric bass guitar (or electric bass) is an electrically-amplified string instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, or using a pick. ... Look up keyboard in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Binomial name Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three vertices and three sides which are straight line segments. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. ...

Themes

Themes explored in fungi music include:

• Love and relationships
• Folk lore which is the basis of British Virgin Islander oral history on topics ranging from church life to smuggling rum.
• Current events and social commentary

It has been suggested that Ecclesia (Church) be merged into this article or section. ... Caribbean rum, circa 1941 Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. ...

Mood

Mood and atmosphere:

• Very festive, sometimes humorous
• Fungi music is made for dancing
• Fungi bands perform at a variety of events including:
  • Weddings
  • Full moon parties
  • Festivals
  • Restaurants/hotels

There is a definite melody and rhythm and the lyrics are meaningful as the songs tell stories from the past. These stories are reminders of the life the people of the British Virgin Islands lived. Fungi music is popular during such events as the British Virgin Islands Music Festival and fungi is taught in schools and is a part of the school curriculum. Composite image of the Moon as taken by the Galileo spacecraft on 7 December 1992. ...

Fungi artists

Notable fungi artists are educator turned politician Elmore Stoutt who is regarded as the Fungi Master and the legendary Lashing Dogs.

See also

• Music of the Virgin Islands

The Virgin Islands are partially controlled by the United Kingdom and the United States, and have had long-standing cultural ties to the island nations to the south as well as to various European colonialists. ...

References

• ^  Music of the British Virign Islands: Fungi. Retrieved on November 3, 2006.