Fungi for the Holidays
By Claudia Colli
To me, no other music is as emblematic of the holidays in the British Virgin Islands as fungi. The throbbing beat and joyous sounds of fungi permeate many holiday celebrations here in the BVI. These local scratch bands are traditionally comprised of homemade instruments, including gourds, washboards, bells and triangles.
It is said that fungi came to the Virgin Islands through the African slave trade. When uprooted from their homeland, the Africans brought with them as much of their culture as they could, including their dances, and of course, music.
With little access to western instruments, the enslaved population improvised with what was at hand. Squash gourds filled with seeds were dried, round hard-shelled calabashes also made great percussive instruments and rattles. Washboards played with picks or two sticks augmented the beat and a cowbell or triangle added a twinkling sound to the proceeds.
As for the name, “fungi” is also a popular local food. A mixture of cornmeal and okra, fungi is as delicious a dish as it is a musical genre. Both are a “cook up”, a joyful blend of locally grown ingredients.
Over the years fungi bands travelled throughout the islands’ villages bringing lighthearted music to dozens of households. In return, they received a glass of rum. Today, many local celebrations include a fungi band.
Most local fungi artists are self-taught musicians. Historically, they constructed their instruments with endless creativity. They used “ukes” made from sardine tins, and flutes made from pumpkin vines and papaya stems. Today, fungi bands utilize both the traditional and the new with guitars and more modern flutes, and sometimes a keyboard is added to the mix.
This year in November, the sounds of fungi was celebrated at Fungi Fest 2025 at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park. Among the popular local fungi bands performing were Four Strong, Razor Blades, Lashing Dogs, NTCG Fungi Band, Family String Band and the Honey Bees. In addition to the fungi bands, there was a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and plait pole, another historic BVI tradition.
I have heard fungi bands dozens of times over the years, and enjoyed them all. One of my most enjoyable memories was listening to Romeo and the Injectors play at the annual Music Festival sponsored by the Cedar School throughout much of the 1990s. The audience loved Romeo and his infectious beat. There is something about fungi music that exudes pure joy.
Today, you can find fungi bands playing at restaurants around the island, (they had been a staple at Sebastians on the Beach at Tortola’s West End for years). There has been a fungi band at the high school, keeping the flame alive among the younger generation. Fungi bands play at the Agricultural Fair, and Fungi Night at the BVI August Emancipation Festival remains a crowd pleaser.
My fondest memory of a fungi band is the year I visited friends on Soldier Hill on New Years Eve. There was a knock at the door and a fungi band stood outside. They serenaded us until the stroke of midnight. They then made their way to serenade the next house. We offered a glass of rum to send them on their way.
Listen to a group of carolers and a fungi band serenade passengers at the Terrence B Lettsom BVI Airport:
