About this activity
Tassa is a traditional East Indian folk dance performed to the beat of the tassa drum, but it is also of Guyanese and Caribbean religious, social, and cultural heritage. Tassa is usually played as part of a drum ensemble. The tassa drum is traditionally made of clay and covered with goat skin. In a tassa group drum performance, one drum serves as the “cutter” while another drum serves as the “fuller” to enrich the rhythm. The cutter plays at varying speeds and sometimes improvises while the fuller accompanies with a steady beat. There are many variations ranging from “tikora” to “soca,” and the dances with the drums also vary accordingly.
Origins & history
This activity originated in India, but it is widely associated with Indo-Caribbean and Guyanese communities. Tassa arrived in Canada with immigrants from India, Guyana, and the Caribbean.
When it happens
Tassa is most commonly performed at weddings and cultural festivals.
Who takes part
Most participants from the GTA's Indian, Indo-Guyanese, and Indo-Caribbean communities.
