When the natives from the Antilles Islands arrived on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica, inhabitants of Afro-Caribbean origin, they brought with them a great amount of traditions still live today. A massive number of this ethnic group arrived at the end of the XIX century to build the rail road that would connect the capital to the Limon Province. The Afro-Caribbeans were responsible for the labors in the most remote stretches of the Central Valley and as such, the closest to the Caribbean.
The inhabitants of African origin brought to the Latin-American community musical practices different from those known until their appearance. As children, the blacks learned about the concept of rhythm as part of a culture where there existed an intimate relationship between the environment, daily life and artistic expression.
Calypso is a rhythm of ancient origin and the "calypsonian" is its interpreter. This personality, originating from the singing on the slave plantations of the Caribbean, would transmit, through his songs, the news of the black community.
Calypso is a good measure that guards the tradition of transmitting information. It has played important roles in the historical process of Caribbean countries, functioning as a channel of information when radio, television and newspapers did not exist.
In Costa Rica, this rhythm began to develop in the town of Cahuita, before the parties and dances: there would be two calypsonians who competed against each other. Today, calypso in Limon is improvised. Those who play it are not professional or commercial musicians: they sing because they need to express themselves. Many of these are country folk or belong to other popular sectors and the majority of their interpreters are old musicians.
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