The largest, the boula, plays the central rhythm while the smaller maké (or markeur) embellishes upon it, inter-playing with dancers, audience, or singer.
Gwo ka singing is usually guttural, nasal, and rough, though it can also be bright and smooth, and is accompanied by uplifting and complex harmonies and melodies.
The Gwo Ka musical practice emerged in the 17th century during the transatlantic slave trade, as a result of a creolization process: adaptation to surrounding context and assimilation of European cultural elements.
As a consequence, in 1988, lawyer and nationalist activist Félix Cotellon created the Festival de Gwoka Sentann in the city of Sainte-Anne without the support of the municipality.
[4] Musical research show that the instrument can find its roots in the drums and songs of the West African countries (Guinea gulf, Congo...)[citation needed].
From the diverse music and dance of their homelands, the slaves elaborated a communication tool, a new form of art, like the creole language: the Gwo Ka.
[citation needed] This musical genre is characterised by an African typology[citation needed]: - repetitive form - improvisation - physical movements linked to music - a response between a soloist and choir - a syncopation weak times Traditional gwo ka is ideally played with at least 2 hand drums (ka in créole): 1 boula and 1 makè.