ENTITY · CULTURAL PRACTICE

Revival Zion

Well supported

The Afro-Jamaican religion that grew out of the nineteenth-century revivals, holding Christian scripture together with African practice — drumming, dancing, spirit possession and the trumping of the ground. Its rhythms and its singing run underneath a great deal of Jamaican popular music, and much of what nyabinghi and later reggae drumming inherited comes through it.

Share a memory Correct this record Add a source lead

At a glance

Type: cultural practice →
Era: Deep roots and folk continuities →
Confidence: Well supported

Connections

In stories

Story · Well supportedFrom folk practice to studio language

Revival, Kumina, Maroon and mento traditions supplied the rhythms, drums and speech that Jamaica's recording studios later turned into ska, reggae and dub.

Debate & reception

How people argued about the music — praise, criticism and public debate. See all debate & reception →

commentary

Folk roots without a single-origin myth

Stance: multi-source continuity vs simplified origin myth