The origins, history, and future of konpa were at the heart of this international symposium organized by the Alliance of Graduate Students and Young Professionals. Figures such as musician Fabrice Rouzier, Dr. Claude Dauphin, and host Pipo Saint-Louis revisited the birth of compas, whose early days were marked by the works of Compas Direct and Cadence Rampa, led respectively by Nemours Jean-Baptiste and Wébert Sicot, the two pioneers of konpa. According to the speakers, this brand-new musical genre, which emerged in 1955, derived from the modernization of the 1950s merengue. It also drew inspiration from Latin rhythms, particularly Cuban, before developing further under the Duvalier dictatorship.

Meanwhile, musician Joël Widmaier, psychologist Patrick Vaillant, and musicology professor Melvin L. Butler provided an overview of the current state of compas. According to them, konpa is doing well. The rhythm has established itself in some French Caribbean islands and major cities worldwide. Over 70 years, it has evolved, and its structure has changed; from Joël Widmaier’s perspective, this is a positive development. However, he calls on his peers to create music that is “more exportable,” meaning, among other things, shorter songs that can be encapsulated in three minutes rather than the usual five or six.