This blog will be covering the musical culture of the Philippines! As a lot of you are aware, I am of Filipino descent and (just recently) an official Filipino citizen! So for me, studying more into the music of my people, it has been a very special experience.
Little Allana, my beautiful mom, uncle (and name sake) Tito Allan saluting the Philippine flag (circa 2005-2006)
Firstly, let's talk about traditional Filipino instruments. When doing a quick Google search, I found a really neat article that discussed 10 traditional instruments heard in traditional Pinoy music (for time sake, I'm just going to share a few of them with you but here's the link if you like to see the others: https://topten.ph/2016/04/27/10-traditional-filipino-musical-instruments/).
1.) Kubing- this instrument is known as a "mouth harp" or "jaw harp", and it is the most common and well known of all traditional Filipino instruments. Originating from the Southern Philippines, this instrument is is made out of bamboo and has a very slim/thin frame making it easy to bend and move. In regards to how it is played, the musician will place the harp in between their lips and pluck the end of the Kubing. When plucked, the Kubing can create many pitches depending on the speed and rhythm it is being plucked. Because of this, the Kubing can be labelled as a lamellaphone or idiophone. Here is an example of a Kubing in play:
2.) Kudyapi- this instrument is a stringed wooden lute that can range between 4 to 6 feet in length. Seen all throughout the Philippines, this instrument is only played by men, as the Kudyapi is used to perform love ballads during courtship (making this known as a "male-only" instrument).
For females, there is an equivalent instrument called the Korlong, which is also made of bamboo and is played like a harp. Traditionally, the strings on a Kudyapi or Korlong were made of horse hair, but more modern day instrument strings can be made with wire.
3.) Tongali- this instrument is a very unique aerophone made of bamboo. It is found all over the Philippines but is very specific to the northern regions of the country. The tongali is similar to the oboe in terms of sound - it has the same tone that mimics a human voice. Each tongali is different, with either three or fours that are to be covered by the fingers. Two holes are found at the back of the flute, one hole to go over the nose and the other to be used by the thumb to change pitch while air is being blown into it.
4.) Dabakan- this Filipino drum is made of coconut or jackfruit wood that has been hollowed out. It takes on the shape of an hour glass figure and showcases a lot of intricate, fine details in the carvings along its side. For the drum head, deer hide, lizard, bayawak, carabao or goat skin is used. This is the only non-gong drum used in Pinoy music making. It produces a heavy and energetic, driving sound when played.
Here is a Dabakan played along with some other Filipino instruments
Other than the traditional Filipino instruments, there is a wide variety of music, instrumental and vocal, played in the Philippines. A lot of the music you hear will include other art forms such a dance and martial arts.
For songs you will hear that is sung, the language spoken is mostly going to be Tagalog. In the Philippines, the main dialect is Tagalog, although there are hundreds of other dialects in the surrounding islands that make up the Philippines. Here are a few different types of music you may hear in the Philippines:
This video comes from a TedX conference at Ohio State University where a group showcased a modernized version of a Filipino war dance using traditional clothing, martial arts and bamboo sticks, combined with some hip-hop rhythm. Dances that contain martial arts are a big part of Filipino war dance and although there isn't a whole lot of melodic music being made during these dances, the rhythms, sometimes polyrhythms, mimic that of Native American war music.
This dance above is the national dance of the Philippines known as the Tinikling. It is a dance similar to a waltz, as it is based around a meter of 3 or "3-count" for dancers. A big identifying characteristic of the dance is the use of bamboo poles. These poles are hit against the floor creating an additional percussive element to the dance on top of the music heard in the background. Rondalla music is performed in the background during these dances, and the music is normally made by all stringed ensembles. This dance is performed at special ceremonies or during moments of celebration.
There is a special genre of art music known as Kundiman which stands for Filipino love ballads. Kundiman emerged during the 19th/20th century and was used as a way to present love, courtship and affection through song. Influential composers of this genre were Francisco Santiago and Nicanor Abelardo.
This last piece is a composition by Nicanor Abelardo, one of the influential Kundiman genre composers I mentioned above. I felt that it was important to include this piece as it continues to show off the diversity of Filipino music, its culture and people. This piece was written in 1921 and to this day, has been an important representation of Filipino's in the classical music world.
I hope you all have enjoyed this blog on the Philippines' Music Culture!
Bibliography:
“10 Traditional Filipino Musical Instruments.” Pinoy Top Tens, 25 May 2017, https://topten.ph/2016/04/27/10-traditional-filipino-musical-instruments/.
Kubing · Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection ... https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/s/MusicalInstruments/item/970.
“10 Kundiman Songs You Should Know - Unipro: Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc..”UniPro, UniPro | Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc., 16 June 2016, https://www.unipronow.org/oldblog/10-kundiman-songs-know.
For this blog, I interviewed my father, Greg Farmer, about his connection and experience with music. For those of you who might have read my more recent vlogs, you’ll know my dad is a Bluegrass musician and multi-instrumentalist. In this interview, I asked him a lot of questions that pertained to his relationship with music, especially as he is a musician and I knew his perspective would be different. He told a lot of stories (stories I had forgotten about!) and he gave a lot of really good advice about things he had learned over the years.
After finishing the unit on Arabic music, I began doing some deeper research into a few things that really interested me:
1.) How Arabic music, in the secular world, has changed and developed over time
2.) How Arabs/Muslims view the relationship between Arabic music and Islam
3.) How Arabic music works (harmonically, etc.)
Firstly, as I was researching more into Arabic music and I found a lot of information regarding its beginnings. Arab music has deep roots in poetry. This love for poetry in music comes from the influence of philosophers, writers and musicians from Greece. Now it was during these early years that Islam was not an (established) religion and therefore people had no conflicts in creating music or art - this period is known as Jahiliyyah. During Jahiliyyah, "musicians", otherwise known as "Jahili poets" or "Arab poets" would write poetry and recite them with "high musical rhythm and tone". Scholars consider this as being the beginning of Arab music making. As time went on, many different changes were made in the style of Arab music. Rather than just reciting poetry in rhythm, instrumentation became a part of Arab music making; using ouds, rebab, lute and drums. Along with having instrumental accompaniment, these poetry reciters were given a label; in the 16th century, male musicians were called, "Alateeyeh" or "Alatee" which translates to "a player upon an instrument" and for women, they were called, "Alawim" or "Al'meh" which translates to "a learned female". These terms were given to people who were either instrumentalists or vocalists in Arab music and although it seems pretty cool that they were recognized this way, for men, this job was looked down upon. Male Arab musicians weren't given very much money and were ultimately judged by society. For female Arab musicians, people would give them more money and regard/acknowledge their work with a bit more respect. This idea continued on for years, with very little stylistic changes happening in the musical genre.
As we go into the 20th century and on, Arab music begins to pick up a little bit more speed when it comes to stylistic changes being made. During the early years of the 20th century, the idea of nationalism becomes an important idea that cultures all around the world adopt, and so this in turn effects Arabic music. Cairo becomes a hub for Arab music making and new musical ideas are introduced to the genre. Umm Kulthum and later, Fairuz, served as two important and influential musicians during this progressive period in Arab music. This led to more Westernized sounds in the 1950s and 60s by Arab musicians. Today, there are many different sub-genres of Arabic music including Arab R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Electronica, Rock and more. Included below are some of my favorite Arabic sub-genres I've found while doing my research:
Some Arabic rock for you :)
And you like (Arabic) jazz? ;)
Secondly, I wanted to discuss how Arabs/Muslims view the relationship between Arabic music and Islam. As we had already listened to and discussed in class, the Islamic Call to Prayer is an important point of reference when comparing the relationship between music and Islam. Now over the years, many scholars have argued about what the Qur'an actually permits when it comes to music making and although there is no direct reference about music and if it is permissible or not, many people just assume Islam writes off music altogether and forbids it.
Although there are some people of the Islamic faith that consider music to be the stepping stone that leads to so much more, "drinking or licentious behavior" that is considered to be illegitimate in the faith, others might argue music differently (depending on the situation of course). The most important aspect to consider when looking at music and Islam is to assess the heart of the situation - is music being made out of faith or for enjoyment, entertainment, pleasure purposes? For Muslims, the Call to Prayer is a religious audio art that prepares ones heart for worship. Although it shares all of the same characteristics of music (being melismatic, melodic, etc.), it is considered to be a devotional audio art.
Going off of that idea, Sufis, one large identifying group of Muslims, say that in order for music to be considered a devotional audio art it has to legitimately fit into three differing categories; 1.) time 2.) place and 3.) companions.
But what does that mean? Let's break it down.
1.) Time- the audio art allows you to continue participating in religious or social obligations, does not distract you from what is important.
2.) Place- the audio art must be heard in an appropriate setting, for example, NOT in a bar.
3.) Companions- the companions that surround the listener must only bring out the best in the person, not hinder them from staying strong and protected in the faith.
If these three categories are proven to be legitimate, the audio art being listened to or made is considered appropriate for a Muslim. Now obviously, this belief can change from Muslim to Muslim, but over time there have been some modifications on what Muslim people believe their relationship between Arabic music, or music in general, should be in comparison to their faith.
Below is a video featuring Dr. Zakir Naik that gives you all more specific information on what the Qur'an actually says (quoted verses and such) and how many Muslims feel about music:
Lastly, I wanted to delve deeper into how Arabic music works. We spoke briefly with Dr. Haecker about what portions of Arabic music theory looks like but as he said, there is much more we did not get to even touch on. So what more is out there? As someone who struggles with Western music theory and understanding all of the concepts, analyzing everything that is presented to us in our music, researching more into this was mind-blowing. First, let's look at some of the distinguishing features of Arab music. When listening or performing Arab music, one of the first things you notice is that there are a lot of ornamentations happening or that the melody is very melismatic. This feature is used to add effect and is often times done through improvisation on the vocalists part.
Secondly, tuning in Arab music is a bit different than our A 440 here in the West. In Arabic music there is something called the Maqam system that is used - it dates back to the 9th century and it is the idea that all Arabic music is based off of eight modes (or maqams). Each Maqam is supposed to signify a different mood or theme and is based off of seven different tone scales, which include microtones. Now as complicated as it may sound, the Maqam system is not taught through school like music is taught over here in the West through general music education classes starting as early as kindergarten or pre-school, rather, it is passed down aurally, through extensive listening and by playing Arabic music.
Another common feature of Arabic music is its unique rhythms. Sometimes when listening to Arabic music you can't quite find the proper meter, it feels like its constantly switching it up. And that's the stye of Arabic music, nonmetric! The rhythms of Arab music is differentiated by using different pitches, one high and one low. By doing this, one can add variety and texture to a piece.
Lastly, the timbre of their instruments is a huge indicator of this not being Western music. As we learned in class, although many of our Western instruments are direct descendants of African/Middle Eastern instruments, over time, sound and materials used to create these instruments change, hence the sound changes.
Below is a video showcasing all of the features we discussed above about what Arab Music really is:
In the beginning of this video, there is an awesome oud solo that gets the audience into the specific Maqam they are playing out of. Tune in around 1:25 to hear the whole ensemble come together to make it one big party :)
Bibliography:
“Traditional and Classical Arabic Music.” Traditional & Classical Arabic Music, https://www.classicalarabicmusic.com/traditional%20arabic%20music.htm.
“Music and Islam: A Deeper Look.”Asia Society, https://asiasociety.org/arts/music-and-islam-deeper-look.
“Traditional Music in the Arab World.” Music in Global America, 23 Aug. 2019, https://scalar.usc.edu/works/music-in-global-america/traditional-music-in-the-arab-world.
This blog will be covering the roots of American Bluegrass music, what instruments are used in the genre, and what influential people made bluegrass music what it is today.
As some of you may know, bluegrass is a big and influential part of my music journey. Now this may seem strange to some of you - as I am of Asian descendant - but bluegrass was a big part of my childhood and it gave me much experience in playing my instrument and performing for big audiences (all thanks to my dad, who we will talk more about later :). Now, growing up, I heard many different things about bluegrass music. I knew all of the important names in the bluegrass industry and I could recognize all the different instruments, but I didn't truly know the roots of American bluegrass. In my research, I found a lot of interesting information regarding where it came from and where it got its unique sound.
Bluegrass music is considered to be a genre of Americana roots music. First off, what is roots music? When people talk about roots music, more specifically Americana roots, they are talking about the many subgenres of American music. This can include country, folk, and early blues. From there, you get bluegrass. American bluegrass is accredited as coming over from Europe during the 1600s. People who migrated over to America from Scotland, Ireland, and England brought with them their folk music which became the base or skeleton structure for bluegrass music. Over time, as families began to spread throughout the South, moving to the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky, people began writing music about their daily lives and adventures. Many of these people were farmers and grew up in and around the countryside, so the thematic material of their music was based around life on the farm or growing up in the hills. Because of that, this kind of music was first considered to be country music, mountain music or hillbilly music, as it came from the people of the country/hills/mountains. As people began to spread and share their music with others, this mountain music began to change and take on new musical elements that effected its sound. You began to hear influences of the blues or gospel music because of the location (people spread out towards the Mississippi Delta region where blues began.). There is much to say about the beginnings of bluegrass music and its sound. Here is an old video example of bluegrass/mountain music that might get your toes a'tappin'.
The video I attached above is an excerpt from the 1964 documentary called, "Bluegrass Roots" by filmmaker David Hoffman. It is a bit lengthy but so worth the watch! Not only can you hear the music of the mountains but you get to see it in action. In this video are bluegrass players, Jesse "Lost John Ray" and Bascom Lamar Lunsford, two very influential and highly regarded bluegrass musicians in the Asheville, NC area during that time. As you watch, listen and hear them speak, you can get a good sense of the true roots of American bluegrass music. It may have been simple, to some a bit sloppy, but it all came from the heart, with lots of passion.
Another very influential musician in this genre was known as the "Father of Bluegrass" and his name was Bill Monroe. Mr. Monroe came out of Rosine, Kentucky, where he was raised on a farm in the early 1900s. He was surrounded by good bluegrass musicians, his mother on fiddle and vocals, his uncle Pen Vandiver on fiddler, along with his close friend, Arnold Shultz, a well-known black musician on guitar. Similar to the stories you hear about blues musicians moving up north, Bill Monroe left the family farm with his brother Charlie in search of work and ended up in Chicago where they continued to make bluegrass music. This was the start of the famous bluegrass band, the Monroe Brothers. Together, they made bluegrass music one of the most highly requested acts during the 1930s. When the two split, Bill Monroe went on to form a new band called, "Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys" where they first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry back in 1939. As the band expanded, more influential musicians came along to perform with him - people like Earl Scruggs on banjo and Lester Flatt on guitar. Together, the band would play traditional country music, featuring the sounds of black/white gospel music, string bands, black laborer work songs, blues and country music. Here is a combination of songs the Bill Monroe and Blue Grass Boys made together over the years:
In bluegrass music, there are a variety of instruments and sounds that can be used. The basic/standard four or five instruments are banjo, guitar, mandolin, an upright bass and fiddle. Each of these instruments are plucked chordophones and each of them serve a unique and important purpose in making bluegrass music. The guitar, banjo and fiddle can take turns taking on the main melody of the song. When those instruments don't have the main theme, you can hear them plucking or improvising lightly in the background. The mandolin and bass are meant to keep the steady beat (when they're not playing an awesome mandolin/bass solo). Mandolin and upright bass players are an important and integral part of bluegrass pickin' as they serve as our metronome. Without those guys, the train can fly off the rails very quickly!
Attached below is a very special video (one that I filmed back in 2013). This is a video of the Northern Border Band performing at the Stomping Grounds in Greer, SC. What makes this band so special is that it's my father's bluegrass band! I chose this video because it shows off each of these four instruments (minus their fiddle player) in action and you can hear how each of them interact with each other. This song is an instrumental called, "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" a popular and highly requested song that is standard repertoire for any bluegrass band.
My dad is the mandolin player in the white shirt :)
Other instruments can be used in making bluegrass music- these are the Dobro and the Steel Guitar. Although these two instruments are more often seen in country music bands, they have been incorporated into many bluegrass songs and bands as they add their own special sound to the music.
Steel guitar
Dobro
American bluegrass is such a vibrant and soulful genre of music. It takes its roots from Scotland, Ireland and England and combines with the Americana roots music of country, folk and the early blues. The sound is nothing special, it is very simple and it features themes that talked about life in the country but it certainly is energetic and all from the heart. Influential people like Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt introduced and popularized the genre beginning in the 1930s and from there, America has not gotten enough of it! Today, bluegrass music has continued on and gained popularity among younger musicians! With social media and broadcasting outlets such as Facebook and YouTube, musicians across America continue to share their love for bluegrass music through videos and performances of their favorite/most fun gigs! Below are some of my personal favorites that I've run across over the years:
P.S. You've got to watch the Orange Blossom Special video by Rhonda Vincent and friends. All I can say is, it's about a really awesome train (and the fiddlers absolutely SHRED their solos)
:)
The classic bluegrass hit, "Rocky Top" as performed by Cotton Pickin' Kids
(another song that is standard repertoire for all bluegrass pickers)
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage performing a special rendition of the "Orange Blossom Special"
Bibliography:
“A Brief History of Bluegrass Music.” History of Bluegrass Music |, https://bluegrassheritage.org/history-of-bluegrass-music/.
“Bluegrass Music - Everything You Need To Know.”Bluegrass Festival Guide, 21 July 2020, https://bluegrassfestivalguide.com/bluegrass-music-everything-you-need-to-know/.
After completing our unit on African music, I became particularly interested in Isicathamiya groups, the time-line patterns in their music and the history/effects on the daily life of on blacks, whites and asian people during apartheid.
Firstly, let's talk a bit more about Isicathamiya. This genre of music is based out of South Africa, a musical tradition started by the Zulu's. Before Isicathamiya had a name and standing in African music, this practice was done by Zulu men following WWI. These men moved from the rural parts of the country to the more urban areas in search of work. Many of these men found jobs in factories and coal mines, meaning they had to work hard and often times, their lives were very difficult. In an effort to cope with their new surroundings, singing groups were formed so that they could perform and compete against each other. This was a way to entertain their families whose lives and routines had been completely uprooted and changed quickly with the move. As time went on, the style morphed into many things. Mbube is a similar musical style that is described as being a bit more "bombing and boisterous" in sound. It was not until the 1960's/1970's that the music began to soften and we have the sound we now know as Isicathamiya. Today, this genre of music is considered pop all throughout South Africa and it has even grown in popularity outside of the country's walls. Isicathamiya is a combination of many types of music; including material from Christian backgrounds, local folk music and more. Most of the time, their songs are sung in the Zulu language, with English being intertwined in certain parts. In Isicathamiya groups, males continue to dominate the art form; with groups ranging in different sizes (4 being the smallest and 20 being a large group). While performing, the group will have choreographed dances that go along with their songs as well as all matching outfits. This is how these groups are remembered and recognized in the public eye. Their performances can be very complex and elaborate as some of the material they sing about can be very serious and heavy. Below is a video example of Isicathamiya groups performing for their communities at the Jeppe Hostel in Johannesburg, South Africa:
Secondly, I became really interested in the polyrhythms heard in African music. As someone who has a really hard time with rhythmic dictation, listening to the layers of rhythms on top of African music, I was completely mind blown at the complexity of it all. As I did my research, (typing "polyrhythms in African music" into Google's search engine) I came across a Britannica Encyclopedia article that talked about something called time line patterns. The idea of time line patterns is that there is a rhythmic ostinato happening throughout the music that goes against the melody or rhythm of the other performers. This can be created with simple hand clapping or with instrumentation of differing timbres (so the sound can stand out). This style is common in West African dance music. Although I did not find any videos that spoke broadly about the time-line pattern in African music (a lot of the videos were on very specific time patterns, etc.) I did find a unique video that taught simple rhythm patterns using West African music. Coming from a music ed. background, I thought it was a pretty cool way of teaching rhythm to people while also incorporating culture and diverse music. The video attached is the first in a rhythm tutorial series so feel free to look at the other ones if interested ;)
3.) Lastly, through this unit, I became very interested in learning more about apartheid and the effects it had on white, black and asian people in South Africa. The word apartheid literally means, "apartness" in the Afrikaans language and that was exactly what it did for 46 years. The foundation for apartheid was race classification, which was implemented in the 1950s. This placed people into certain categories that would set the stage for how they would be treated. There were four classifications that you could be assigned to- 'native', 'coloured' (aka people of mixed race), 'Asian' or 'white'. These classifications were taken very seriously by the government- people who were found out to not be classified became liable to be arrested, As you can imagine, just like how we saw with segregation in America, apartheid and race classifications separated people from each other. The South African government, run by white men, would prohibit South Africans from engaging in interracial marriage, going to the same schools as whites, being employed with other races along with other racial injustices. This effected the daily life of so many people and instilled fear in many more. More drastic effects of apartheid caused many South Africans to lose their citizenship in the country and be considered as aliens, and for others who resisted, consequences could go as far as exile. Attached below is a YouTube video that speaks more in depth about apartheid, more specifically how people would be classified and what their daily lives looked like. A terrible part of our world history, it is still something we need to know about and learn from. May we never forget the horrors and sadness of apartheid.
Growing up in a family full of musicians, there was very little I was told I could not do when it came to music making. My parents always encouraged me to make music and they gave me my first formal music lessons at the age of three years old. In my experience, all of my music teachers were women, and I grew up associating teachers to be women. This idea was also supported when I would go to school and have wonderful teachers, who were women, help me in my academics. As I began to grow, I came to the realization that I too loved teaching. As I helped friends, classmates and younger students, I found that it was something I was pretty good at. For me, teaching felt natural and it seemed like it was the right thing for me to do. As I grew older, I found myself getting more serious about making a career out of teaching music. When it came time for me to make a choice on where to go to college or what major to pursue, I chose Converse College and declared myself as an instrumental music education major. Now, this did not seem out of the ordinary for someone like me – I was just another female pursuing a degree in education. But as I made my way through college, I found myself questioning my decision to be a teacher. For many years, I had another musical interest that I had suppressed due to fear and ignorance. But as time went on, I was so drawn to it that I started to reconsider my education plan. This new pursuit would be in the field of conducting.
Now, I knew that conducting was not a major offered at my college and it was not the “safe choice” as a musician, much less a female musician. I knew that someone like me would have to work really hard to even get a chance at being a conductor in such a male-dominated field. It took a lot of thought, a lot of talking to people/family before I realized I wanted something more in my life than just becoming another teacher. Not that teaching is unimportant or not as influential of a career path, because without strong women teachers, I wouldn't be where I am today. But because I became so enamored with this lifestyle, I was willing to take a leap of faith and go for this dream. Today, I am challenged to break barriers and to challenge the stigma. I am shooting for conducting to prove to those who doubted me that I can do it and because I love it!
Although this is a scary endeavor at times and it certainly does take me out of my comfort zone, I have received much support from professors, friends, and other musicians who want to see more representation in the field of conducting, not just for females but for people of color also. As I follow this path, I cannot help but think of the strong women who have already come before me. Women like Marin Alsop, Nadia Boulanger, Xian Zhang, Kayoko Dan, and Antonia Brico, I am encouraged and given a sense of hope and duty as another female conductor in the making.
Attached below are videos of these powerful women in action.
Xian Zhang conducting Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 played by the National Orchestra of Wales and the CBSO and BBC National Chorus of Wales
Marin Alsop speaking of her challenges as a female conductor
A video sample of Antonia Brico conducting an orchestra
In studying the Native American culture, I have found myself drawn to certain parts of the Native American lifestyle, more specifically, it's music making, dances, and history. Today, I will explore three different questions and topics that relate to the Native American lifestyle and culture.
Firstly, I became more interested in learning more about the circle of life idea in Native American culture and how that is reflected in their music and dance. In Native American culture, making music can be a spiritual experience for them, and it is often accompanied by special dances. In my research, I discovered a Native American dance called the "Hoop Dance" which is a dance not performed for the enjoyment of the public eye but performed to provide balance and peace within the participating individual. Performing the hoop dance can give a person a healthy flow of energy and keep them grounded/focused on what is important in life. In order to receive the positive benefits of the hoop dance, the individual has to consistently work on themselves and practice putting out positive energy into the world so that they may receive it. Below is a video that speaks more in depth about hoop dancing. Dallas Arcand, a three-time world hoop dancing champion, speaks on what it is like to live a circular lifestyle and how hoop dancing has provided him with that balance and peace in his own life. He demonstrates the age-old dance and reminds the audience of this discovery, in hoop dancing and in life, what goes around, comes around.
Secondly, through this unit I have become curious about how they make their musical instruments. As far as making musical instruments go, we studied that Native Americans of the past used all natural materials because that was what was accessible to them. But in present day, I am curious about how the creation process has changed. Do they continue to only use natural materials or is there a bit more leeway to use synesthetic/manufactured materials in their instrument making? Has there been any slight modifications in size and tuning over the years? As I did my research, I had a hard time finding answers to my very specific questions, but I did learn a bit more about the resources used (turtle shells, deer horns, etc.) and how they used them to make sound. Because there is such a wide variety of instruments in Native American culture, researchers have placed various Native instruments into four different categories: idiophones, membranophones, aerophones, and chordophones, with a fifth category called electrophones, describing electronic instruments or Native instruments that require electricity. An article in the Britannica Encyclopedia gives more details on Native American instruments, along with their history and what can be expected in today’s musical culture. Through this article, I learned more about tuning (vibrations of the instruments under the idiophone category) and how synesthetic/manufactured materials are used in the creation of electronic instruments (under the electrophone category). Below is the link providing you more information on Native American instruments:
Lastly, through this unit I found myself wanting to learn more about the assimilation of Native Americans in boarding schools and what the reality was for children living in these situations. According to Richard Henry Pratt, the mouth piece for Native American boarding schools, the goal of taking in these children and assimilating them to white culture was to, "kill the Indian, save the man". In the process, Native children were stripped of their culture entirely. Given new "white" names, uniforms, new haircuts (which was traumatizing for children as hair was a big part of their identity) and being forbidden to speak or sing in their Native tongue, the children were suppressed from being who they truly were. Dire consequences were given to those children who refused or had a hard time accepting the white lifestyle. As I listened to the stories of survivors in residential boarding schools from years ago, I could not help but weep at the hell they endured for years. The link blow provides more information on survivor's stories as children who survived the Native American boarding schools:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdR9HcmiXLA
Bibliography:
“Assimilation versus Sovereignty: The Late 19th to the Late 20th Century.”Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Native-American/Assimilation-versus-sovereignty-the-late-19th-to-the-late-20th-century#ref968646.
“Musical Instruments in the Americas.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/Native-American-music/Musical-instruments-in-the-Americas.
