Folk music in Guadeloupe that is accompanied by hand drums and played outside during festivals. Seven simple drum patterns form the basis of gwo ka music, on which the drummers build rhythmic improvisations. Different sizes of drums provide the foundation and its flourishes. The largest, the boula, plays the central rhythm, while the smaller maké (or markeur) embellishes it, interplaying 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. A more modernized version of gwo ka is gwo ka moderne, which adds new instruments ranging from conga or djembe drums and chimes to electric bass guitar, essentially fusing gwo ka music with zouk. 1690s– .