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Barbados Defence Force The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The Headquarters for the ...
Band (also known as the Zouave Band), is a musical element of the reserve units that make up the Headquarters Company,
Barbados Regiment The Barbados Regiment is the land force component of the Barbados Defence Force. Its main tasks are the defence of Barbados from external threats, internal security and assisting the local police in maintaining law and order. The regiment also pr ...
and the
Barbados Defence Force The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The Headquarters for the ...
. The musicians mainly range in ages between 18 and 50 years old and perform several types of music from light classics to Barbadian native music. The band is currently directed by Director of Music, Lieutenant Brian Cole. It has also participated military events of the
Jamaica Defence Force The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the combined military of Jamaica, consisting of an infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The JDF is based upon the British military model, with ...
, parading alongside the JDF Band,
The Jamaica Regiment The Jamaica Regiment is the main formation of land troops in the Jamaica Defence Force. It is a non- mechanised infantry regiment consisting of five battalions, three regular infantry battalions, one territorial infantry battalion, and a Combat ...
Band and
Corps of Drums A corps of drums, sometimes known as a fife and drum corps or simply field music, is a traditional European military music formation. Historically, a Corps of Drums' primary role was communication. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Dru ...
at the request of the JDF.


History

A Corps of Drums remained active in the Barbados Volunteer Force and the
Barbados Regiment The Barbados Regiment is the land force component of the Barbados Defence Force. Its main tasks are the defence of Barbados from external threats, internal security and assisting the local police in maintaining law and order. The regiment also pr ...
until the early 1970s. A full band was raised in 1973 as the Band and Drums of the Barbados Regiment and was fully resuscitated in 1987 for the occasion of the
Trooping the Colour Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the King's Official Birthday, official birthday of the British sovereign, though t ...
parade in Barbados. It remained active until the early 1990s, and after a brief hiatus, the band was again revived as the Barbados Defence Force Band. In 1999, an improvement and substantial growth of the band facilitated their first major performance at the
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of military tattoos performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and international military bands, and artistic performance teams on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Ca ...
that year.


Lineage

The BDF Band traces its history back to the
West India Regiment The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. In 1888 the two West India Regiments then in existence were reduced t ...
Band, which is considered to be the precursor to most Caribbean military bands under the control of the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
. As a result, the band has a shared history with the aforementioned Jamaica Military Band. It also shares a lineage with the Corps of Drums of the Barbados Volunteer Force.


Particularities


Public Duties

Performances by BDF Band include: * Public concerts in the
Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
* Military and patriotic ceremonies ** State arrival ceremonies **
Military parades A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the world. Mass ...
**
Military tattoo A military tattoo is a performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th-century Dutch phrase ' ('turn off the tap'), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct innkeepers near military g ...
s ** Passing out parades **
Change of Command A change of command is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding or flag officer to another. The passing of colors, standards, or ensigns from an outgoing commander to ...
parades **
Presentation of Colours The Presentation of Colours is a military ceremony that marks an anniversary or significant event in the history of a particular regiment or similar military unit. This involves the presentation of a new version of the Military colours, stan ...
*
Public holidays in Barbados There are 12 public holidays in Barbados, which includes Christian holidays and secular holidays. Holidays in Barbados are also referred to as '' bank holidays'' locally: {, class="wikitable" , - ! style="background:#efefef;" , Holiday ! styl ...
**
Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces me ...
**
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
*
State Funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...
s * Musical concerts * Guard mounting at The Garrison,
Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
It takes part in the ''We Barbados'' procession through
Bridgetown Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the Parishes of Barbados, parish of Saint Michael, Barbados, Saint Mic ...
on Independence Day annually. The band parades with a
corps of drums A corps of drums, sometimes known as a fife and drum corps or simply field music, is a traditional European military music formation. Historically, a Corps of Drums' primary role was communication. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Dru ...
who also double as bugler's.


Extra functions

The associates itself with its police band counterpart, the Barbados Police Band. In 2017, the band hosted international pipe bands at the Barbados Celtic Festival. Many senior directors of the Barbados Cadet Corps Band have served in the band.


Uniform

In 1856, a type of uniform was adopted for the regiments, modeled on that of the French
Zouave The Zouaves () were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army and other units modelled on it, which served between 1830 and 1962, and served in French North Africa. The zouaves were among the most decorated units of the French Army ...
s (see illustration above). The uniform was first paraded in Barbados in 1858 and subsequently adopted by the Band and Drums of the Barbados Regiment and the Barbados Defence Force Band as a symbolic tribute to the old Band of the West India Regiment. The uniform is also worn by the Jamaica Military Band. It comprises a red fez wound by a white turban, scarlet sleeveless jacket with elaborate yellow braiding worn over a long-sleeved white waistcoat, and a dark blue voluminous breeches piped in yellow. This uniform was retained for full dress until 1914 and by the band alone until its disbandment in 1927. It survives as the full dress uniform of the band of the modern BDF. The uniform is where the band's nickname; the Zouave Band; derives from. The common belief is that
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
saw the uniform worn by the colonial Zouaoua tribe in
French Algeria French Algeria ( until 1839, then afterwards; unofficially ; ), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of History of Algeria, Algerian history when the country was a colony and later an integral part of France. French rule lasted until ...
. She was immediately struck with the style of the uniform and the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
to adopt the uniform for one of its regiments, with the honour being conferred onto the West India Regiment.


See also

*
Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces Military Bands Department The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces Military Bands Department is a military band service based in Havana, serving the men and women of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. It was notably led by Lieutenant Colonel Ney Miguel Milanés Gálvez (bor ...
* Royal Bahamas Police Force Band * Fiji Military Forces Band


References

{{Authority control Barbadian musical groups Military of Barbados Military bands Musical groups established in 1978 Military units and formations established in 1978 1978 establishments in Barbados