Today young Bahamians JAM and BOOGIE to the disco, rock and reggae music heard from New York to Kingston. The traditional music of the Bahamas is also related to that of the American mainland and the Caribbean, combining musical traditions from Africa and Europe, yet maintaining a distinctively Bahamian flavor.

SINGS that are religious are often accompanied only by hand-clapping. ANTHEMS developed from hymns, which a leader would LINE OFF to the chorus. The RHYMING SPIRITUAL is sung in three parts, led by a RHYMER as well as a BASSER and an alto. Singing is an integral part of a reli-gious SHOUTING MEETING, a SETTING- UP, or a CONCERT (where a particular kind of song is sung during the RUSH or RALLY). A person ad-mired for knowing many songs is called a SANKEY.

A secular SING or TONE usually accompanies children's RING PLAYS Or adults' RING DANCE, including the JUMP-IN, the FIRE DANCE, the NAKED DANCE and the ZINE DANCE. All of these have a strong African flavor, as do BOTTLE DANCING and the LIMBER. The irresistible rhythms of JUNKANOO, whether the HILL BEAT or DOUBLE TAP, are also unmistakably African. Accompanied by cow bells and whistles, the principal instruments are drums, which one can KNOCK, SPANK, Or hit with a BEATER. Drums include the GOOM-BAY or TOM-TOM, as well as the CONGO DRUM, KEG DRUM, and HUB DRUM. Other percussion instruments are the CLEAVERS, the JAW-BONE, the BOTTLE-AND-NAIL and SHAKERS (also called ROCKERS, CARACAS, PERACLAS or JOHNNY CUTLASS). Other instruments include the BANJA, TUNE-TUNE, and WASH-TUB Or TIN-TUB BASS. These may form a RAKE-AND-SCRAPE BAND to accompany the European-derived QUADRILLE, a kind of square dance done to music like the SHORTIE and PULKA MAZULKA. Although these dances are disappearing, Bahamians still love to SCULL to the Afro-Latin beat of the ever-popular MERENGUE. See Bethel 1978.