Montamentu is an African Caribbean ecstatic religion found in Curaçao. Precursors or earlier forms may be seen in ancestor veneration in the 18th centuryJordaan, H. (2013). Slavernij en vrijheid op Curaçao: De dynamiek van een achttiende-eeuws Atlantisch handelsknooppunt. Zutphen: Walburg Pers: 187 and a 1788 court case in which religionists were condemned by the colonial court for practicing the religion as an act of "lying to the bystanders".Rutten, A. M. G. (2003). Magische kruiden in de Antilliaanse folklore: Etnofarmacologie van het Caribisch gebied. Rotterdam: Erasmus: 91-93. In the 1950s a new wave came about, introduced by migrants from the Dominican Republic.Bernadina, F. M. (1981). Montamentoe: een beschrijvende en analyserende studie van een Afro-Amerikaanse godsdienst op Curaçao: 22 As with most African diaspora religions from the colonial and slavery era, Montamentu is a syncretic religion. Roman Catholic, African and Native American, as well as some Asian deities are revered.
Montamentu is accompanied by music. In some cases by tambú drumming, although this is a misnomer. Tambú, proper, is the drum, rhythms, music event, dancing and singing combined in a festive, non-religious setting. Also: in some ceremonies the music is provided by musical records from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti or Venezuela. Sometimes there is chanting without drums.Bernadina, F. M. (1981). Montamentoe: een beschrijvende en analyserende studie van een Afro-Amerikaanse godsdienst op Curaçao: 21
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