Welcome Everybody!
This is a listening guide to the many
listeners of our Internet Pacific Islands
Radio Stations.
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
I will focus on issues relating to Pacific
Island music and to embrace some of the
exciting changes taking place in the Internet
Radio Revolution, as well as updated information
on our Pacific Island Artists, Programming and
Playlists.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Welcome to beautiful Micronesia!
http://www.janeresture.com/michome/index.htm
As mentioned previously, and after our
recent trip to spectacular and exotic
Melanesia, it is now my great pleasure to
be able to share with you a brief outline
of the traditional and contemporary music
(and dance) of fantastic Micronesia!
The people of Micronesia were the last
ethnic group to migrate into the Pacific
region, being preceded by many thousands
of years by the Melanesians and, some
thousands of years earlier, by the people of
Polynesia. Indeed, there is a growing amount
of evidence to suggest that the many islands
and atolls of Micronesia have been inhabited
for at least 3000 years, and that the ancient
origin of the migrants was Southeast
Asia/Indonesia.
Much of the evidence to support this is
based on the study of the languages of the
Micronesian people. The Gilbertese
(Kiribati) language, for example, belongs to
the very large Austronesian language family
which evolved in Southeast Asia and began
to spread into the Pacific about 5000 years
ago. With the exception of some societies
in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea,
all languages in the Pacific, including the
Gilbertese language, belong to this family.
Also, of course, the study of plants in the
Pacific in recent years has revealed some
important evidence about the migrations
of people. With few exceptions, all useful
food and fibre plants found today in the
Pacific islands originated outside the Pacific.
For example, all the important plants used
by Gilbertese (I-Kiribati or Kiribati people),
the coconut, breadfruit, babai or taro, as
well as pandanus, are native to the Southeast
Asia/Indonesia area. Researchers can only
conclude that they must have been brought
to the islands by the early settlers.
The music and associated dance forms in
Micronesia are distinctive, yet, they are closely
related in many ways to that of their Polynesian
counterpart. With the exception of Truk (Chuuk)
in the central Caroline Group, which displays
traits of Melanesian and possibly Indonesian
influence, the music structure of all parts of
Micronesia is predominantly word-determined,
as is that of Polynesia. The origins of traditional
Micronesian music, however, are generally quite
obscure with the music having been handed
down by older folks to the younger children.
Composing traditional music involves a
considerable amount of ritualism and magic.
The composer does not compose the music
himself, but rather the song or songs are given
to the composers in a mythical setting - possibly
in a dream or a trance. The task of the composer
is then to follow the secret methodology that their
predecessors had passed on to them to produce
a song that is regarded as being magically blessed.
The second method of composing songs is one
which involves no magic and results from somebody
wishing to have a song made for him. In this case,
the person tells the story to be told to the composer
who listens intently and full of concentration. At a
later time, the composer may ask for further
information and the person requesting the song must
provide all the needed details.The most commonly
composed songs of this nature are love songs.These
are often about love for someone you will never
see again or a place that you have left behind. The
most popular ones, however, are about love between
a boy and a girl, a man and a woman or a husband
and a wife. The same process is also used for wedding
songs, competition songs, religious songs, war songs,
dance music and children's songs. The composer has
to know what song you want and he must be provided
with all the information to do it.
The third manner in which a song may be composed
is when, occasionally, a composer may wish to
compose an original song. In this case the composer
first works on firstly developing the tune by humming
it. When this is completed he will then think about
the words to go with the music until a very original
composition results.
Micronesian songs and chants have been composed
to cover many of the diverse and varied aspects
of life in Micronesia. These can include toddy
cutting songs, love songs, presentation of food,
songs for sick people, launching a canoe or putting
a small baby to sleep. In many cases the songs or
chants call on the spirits for assistance in some
situation or an endeavour about to be undertaken.
The following is one of the songs, reproduced below
without alteration, composed on Tamana Island, in
the Republic of Kiribati, for the people about to
be resettled in the Phoenix Group, Republic of
Kiribati:
"We are about to sail to Orona,
Goodbye O people of our homeland;
We have got our lands,
In the new Group of Islands.
We shall step ashore at Orona,
We shall dig our wells;
We shall build our dwelling houses,
So that we may live well.
Stand up, O people of the Gilberts,
Grasp your working tools;
We shall stand up and clear
the undergrowth and plant coconut trees.
We are happy, for we shall now live.
Do not forget us, O people of our homeland."
The interpretation of Micronesian music in
the form of dance movements results in a dance
form which is exciting, emotive and totally
absorbing. The dance forms emphasise the use
of mainly hands and arms to interpret the literal
meaning of the music. Traditional and authentic
dances on the main islands include stick dancing
integral to Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae and Yap -
Federated States of Micronesia.
http://www.janeresture.com/fedmic/index.htm
Standing and sitting dances are featured
throughout much of Micronesia, including the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of
Kiribati, Palau, Saipan, Guam, Kosrae, Chuuk
and Yap.The Yapese are particularly well known
for their wonderful skills in stick dancing which
is performed by men, women and children together,
while some other dance forms are performed
either by women or men and boys, although never
both together.
In some islands, such as Yap and the Republic
of Kiribati, there is also a concern for rank in
the placement of dancers, as well as the emphasis
on rehearsed execution of songs and movements.
The men participate in various dancing competitions,
which are segregated by caste or rank; the lower
castes have some distinct dances, such as a woman's
standing dance, but can only dance when authorized
by a person of a higher caste. Chuuk shares many
similar dance styles with Yap due to their similar
cultural heritage. Chuuk's most mysterious and
rarest dance is called the "Moonlight Dance". This
is one of the few times when both men and women
dance together. This particular dance can only
happen during a full moon with permission of the
village chief. Traditionally speaking, this was a way
for young males and females to get together. This
form of social engagement is also a feature of the
Trobriand islands (Melanesia) at the time of the
yam festival. In this respect, we can say that there
are certain similarities between many aspects of
the music and dance of the different ethnic groups
throughout the Pacific region while they still
remain distinctively Micronesian, Melanesian and
Polynesian.
The musical instruments of Micronesia are few,
mainly due to the lack of material on the coral
atolls of Micronesia to produce the magnificent
wooden drums used throughout Melanesia and
Polynesia.The shell trumpet and nose flute are
the most common, though standard flutes and
jews harps are also found. A common idiophone
in Micronesia is a stick that is carried by men in
certain dances. The performers strike each
other's sticks in the course of the choreography.
Membranophones are not very common, though
the hourglass single-headed drum, like those
played in Papua New Guinea, is found as far
north as the Marshall Islands. In keeping with
the ecology of atoll life, the skins of these
drums are made from a shark's belly or parts
of the sting ray. Indeed, many atolls of the
Micronesian Pacific are without any indigenous
musical instruments whatsoever and, often
utilise many hands beating on mostly a wooden
box to accompany the music and dance.
The above brief outline comprises our first
discussion on the beautiful music and dance
of wonderful Micronesia. In our next edition,
it would be my great pleasure to discuss further
aspects of Micronesian music (and dance), as
well as examining, in broad detail, the beautiful
relationships between the music of Melanesia,
Micronesia and Polynesia. Pacific Island music
is something that is forever fascinating. Among
many other things, it is vibrant, melodious,
exciting, soothing, absorbing and constantly
evolving, while at the same time, remaining
authentic to its diverse and complex origins.
These are some of the issues I would like to
discuss and share with you a little further
in my next blog.
FEATURE ARTISTS
THE LAMO SERAI BOYZ
The Lamo Serai Boyz have recorded a
truly amazing collection of wonderful
electronic melodies based on traditional
and popular Micronesian songs from their
home island, Lamotrek, Yap, Federated
States of Micronesia, as well as other
islands in the Caroline archipelago. Their
music is available through Triton Films.
All the musical recordings were created
with state of the art Yamaha DSR 1000
keyboards and professionaly mixed with
vocals in the Lamotrekese language at
C-Star Studio in Yap, with post-production
at Triton Films.
No accoustic guitars were used. Such
artistry and talent, from a group of
island boys, growing up in a small
community, numbering no more than 300
persons, and more than 600 miles from
the nearest 120 volt outlet in Yap,
must be heard to be believed!
Anyone who has visited the restaurants
and bars of Micronesia will be instantly
transported back to the islands when
they hear the music of the Lamo Serai
Boyz. Their music encapsulates memories
of balmy nights and spectral lights
floating on a tropical pulse of swaying
bodies and lively conversation ... all
enveloped by wonderful melodies, both
lyrical and energetic. This CD is
certainly worth listening to for those
who enjoy that special authentic and
enchanting Micronesian music.
* * * * * * * * * *
Thank you all. For further information,
please check out the following four
Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
I wish you all the very best. Have a great day!
Showing posts with label Micronesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Micronesia. Show all posts
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Pacific Islands Radio - The Music of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia
This Blog is a listening guide to the many
listeners of our four Internet Pacific Islands
Radio Stations.
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
The Blog will focus on issues relating to
Pacific Island music. It will also embrace
some of the exciting changes taking place
in the Internet Radio Revolution,as well as
updated information on our Pacific
Island Artists, Programming and Playlists.
NEWS AND VIEWS
In the last few blogs, it has been my great
pleasure to be able to present an outline of
the traditional and contemporary music of
Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. This
was followed by a similar general overview
of Pacific Island music in the context of
the origins, mythology and external
influences on the music and people of the
Pacific Islands.
In this edition, I would like to share with
you some thoughts on Pacific Island music and
its relevance in the global context of popular
music. Certainly, as a musical genre, Pacific
Island music is distinctive, exciting and
enthralling - it displays a depth of understanding
of human experiences that can touch the very
heart and soul of the listener. Despite all this,
Pacific Island music has not yet achieved the
support, and the success it fully deserves on
the international music scene. Certainly, many
of our excellent artists have achieved superstar
status in their own countries and in the Pacific
region, although, as yet, have not been able to
translate this success onto a global environment.
Indeed, the necessary ingredients for
international success are all present - in the
form of world quality recording studios, top
class musicians, and singers with amazing talents,
along with a loyal and appreciative local support
base. One would perhaps have to ask what needs
to be done in order for these talented people to
achieve international acclaim (as per one of
the beautiful letters below that I have recently
received from Japan by a talented artist from
New Zealand).
The late great Hawaiian musician, Israel
Kamakawiwo Ole' (Bruddah Iz), was one of
those who made the statement that, as island
people, we live in both worlds - the traditional
world of our island people, and the western
world that we are, of necessity, part of. In
this respect, being able to reconcile the often
conflicting demands of our traditional lifestyle,
and western lifestyle, is something that is very
apparent in island life, and thus is a very
important factor in the longer term wider
success of Pacific Island music.
In some cases, it is perhaps a sad reality that,
some of our talented artists, are unable to
reconcile our traditional values with western
values, which can easily swamp those of our
traditional society. Yet, one would have to
suspect that ultimate success as a musical
artist depends on a successful fusion of our
traditional music with the musical expectations
of a global audience.
Out of all our musical groups, we are very
proud to be able to say that Te Vaka has
successfully been able to achieve international
acclaim and recognition and, in many respects,
can be considered a role model for any group
wishing to achieve and enjoy international
success. A performance by Te Vaka is exciting
and completely enthralling - a visual and musical
experience that always stays in the mind of the
audience. Te Vaka, as an accomplished group
of musicians and performers, has been able
to combine exciting dance and vibrant music as
they tell the stories of the mythology and the
many trials and tribulations of our Pacific Island
people.
With most of Te Vaka's songs being presented
in their native language, western audiences, in
the main, do not understand the lyrics, however,
the message is always clear. With a strong and
resonant musical beat, combined with exciting
dance and theatre, the audience is left in no doubt
as to the underlying message of the performance.
As a solo artist, teenage artist, Vanessa Quai, from
the Pacific nation of Vanuatu, is certainly making
a big impression on the musical scene, both in the
Pacific region, as well as internationally. Indeed
Vanessa's achievement in winning the first prize in
the RTV Golden Stag International Music Festival
in Brasov, Romania, on the 23rd September 2005,
strongly suggests that Vanessa has the potential of
being a major international star of the future. With
the support of her wonderful family, including her
father/manager, Nigel Quai, as well as her frequent
musical collaboration with her talented Melanesian
fellow artist, Edou, (our Feature Artist in our
March 2006 edition of this Pacific Island Music
Newsletter), Vanessa Quai, the talented young
lady from Vanuatu, definitely has a very bright
and assured musical future.
I am very pleased to be able to say that our
Pacific Islands Radio is reaching out to a vast
worldwide audience and has generated great
interest, along with a great many requests
from those wonderful people who would like
to purchase our beautiful Pacific Island music.
In addition, there has been many most
welcome e-mails from talented artists from
the Pacific Islands (and worldwide), who
would greatly appreciate the opportunity of
having their music featured on Pacific Islands
Radio. Let me humbly say that this is, indeed,
a great honour coming from such gifted artists.
I have included one such beautiful letter,
below, from an artist who certainly deserves
our assistance and support.
Once again, may I ask you, our valued members,
to assist in whatever way we can to help promote
another of our talented artists. Thank you.
"Jane,
I have been listening to your radio station on-line
from Japan. I am a New Zealander (Maori) but
Tokyo-based musician...I play with all Japanese
musicians and we play regularly around Japan.
We have just finished a 16 date tour of New
Zealand and our 2nd album 'Papatu Road' will
be available in stores in Japan from May 10th.
The album has received critical acclaim from
reviewers back in New Zealand. I belong to a
small independent record label in Japan
called 'Suzuki Records'. They do my promotion
inside Japan, but nothing outside and, because
I am so desperate to reach the wider community,
I am researching avenues myself.
I actually had an interview on ABC Radio
Australia last month with Heather Javis on
'In the Loop'
www.myspace.com/benkempmusic
I have been exploring Polynesian and Asian
influences through music for several years
now. Here is some information on me:
www.benkemp.co.nz
http://www.thread.co.nz/article/1838
http://www.amplifier.co.nz/artist/13972/ben_kemp.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0601/S00109.htm
I would greatly appreciate any support you can
offer. Should you require any further information
i.e previous radio interviews, or MP3's or an album,
please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
E noho ra, Ben"
Finally, I would very much like to thank you,
our valued members, along with our worldwide
listeners, for the incredible and much
appreciated increase in the number of listening
hours and presets on all our four Pacific Islands
Radio Stations. In particular, the support for
our new Pacific Islands Radio Station - Radio
Melanesia - has been just great and, once
again, very much appreciated!
Keep on listening everybody and enjoy the
music! Thank you so very much!
By the way, I should mention also that our
Playlists now include the beautiful tracks
from Edou's latest exciting album, along with
some haunting, beautiful and melodious tracks
from Laisa Vulakoro, our Feature Artist this
month! Enjoy!
(See below under: Feature Artist).
* * * * * * * * * *
NOTICE BOARD
MELANESIAN MUSIC -
"RADIO MELANESIA"
Pacific Islands Radio is very pleased
to be able to advise that Pacific
Islands Radio 28K has now been converted
to "RADIO MELANESIA" - to progressively
highlight the vibrant and exciting music
of Melanesia, along with a selection of
music from Polynesia and Micronesia.
RADIO MELANESIA
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres
OCEANIA MESSAGE FORUMS
I am very pleased to be able to say that,
in addition to our main Oceania Guest Book,
additional Forums have been introduced to
all Web sites of the main islands and islets
of the Pacific, as well as personalities,
along with our Pacific Islands Radio Web sites:
http://pub47.bravenet.com/forum/4004922603
As you are no doubt aware, these Forums
have been most beneficial in bringing together
many people with an interest in and a love of
the beautiful and enchanting music of the
Pacific Islands. You are cordially invited to
share your valuable and important thoughts
and opinions with us all.
Recent additions also include the Web
sites for Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Republic
of Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands,
Tonga, Tokelau, Easter Island, New
Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New
Guinea, Cook Islands and Pitcairn Island,
Niue, as well as our Oceania Postcards
and Picture Galleries - and many more!
Thank you.
PACIFIC ISLANDS RADIO
I would like to mention, in response
to some of the e-mails and messages that I
have received, from those wonderful people
who would like to listen to our beautiful
Pacific Island music, but unfortunately,
are unable to actually listen to the music.
Basically, it is quite easy to access and
enjoy Pacific Islands Radio (our four
Pacific Islands Radio Stations). Once
you have accessed the page, it is most
necessary to firstly log on, in order to
be able to listen to the music. The process
of being able to log on can be achieved
by providing your username and password
before clicking on the yellow 'Play'
button provided on the centre of the page.
Good Luck and Enjoy!
In addition, the many listeners who would
like to purchase the music played on our
four Pacific Islands Radio Stations, in CD
format, can obtain details of recommended
suppliers by clicking on Artists' Profiles
on Pacific Islands Radio Home Page:
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Pacific Islands Radio continues to offer a
range of broadcasting formats in order to
allow a wide range of listeners to enjoy
our beautiful island music.
STATIONS
Our four Pacific Islands Radio Stations
play the enchanting music of the Pacific
Islands 24 hours daily.
www.pacificislandsradio.com
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/radio/index.htm
Pacific Music Radio (mp3PRO)
http://www.live365.com/stations/drjaneresture
Pacific Islands Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeresture
Radio Melanesia
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres
Micronesia Music Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/jane_resture
FEATURE ARTISTS
LAISA VULAKORO
Laisa Vulakoro, the Vude Queen, is one
of the most popular singers of all time in Fiji.
Vude, pronounced `vu-n-day' is the music
beat that is unique to Fiji - a combination of
Disco, Rock, Country and Island Style. The
beat derives from the traditional `Meke' or
dance sound.
Laisa has been singing for almost 20 years and,
with 16 published albums to her name has written
and arranged most of her songs. Born on the
remote island of Yacata in Fiji with a population
of only 150, no running water or electricity, she is
the youngest girl of a family of 8 girls and 6 boys.
Her late father, Delai, was a choir-master and lay
preacher of their church. Everyone in the family
sang in the church. Her late father, and a few of
her brothers, are also song-writers. Her band in
Fiji includes mainly family members.
Laisa is currently a Director of the Fiji Performing
Rights Association, which is a non-profit
organization that protects the rights of composers
in Fiji. She has toured most of the Pacific Islands,
including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New
Caledonia, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands,
Hawaii and the Solomon Islands. She has also
toured North America, Australia, New Zealand
and London. She has performed in most of the
top Resorts in Fiji and for many years was the
resident singer at the Regent of Fiji and the
Sheraton Fiji Resort.
Laisa is a Charity Worker who has donated her
time and talent towards helping underprivileged
women and children and is a `Champion' of
promoting young talent, especially with the Blind
School, Hilton Special School and various
orphanages around Fiji.
In recognition of her tireless contribution to
charity, she was awarded a Fiji Independence
Medal in 1996, given only to outstanding Fiji
Citizens and, in 2003, the French Government
awarded her the title of Chevallier of Fine Art
and Literature.
Laisa was named by a well-known columnist
in Fiji as "Fiji's Living National Treasure" in
recognition of her ability to bring people from
all races and diverse backgrounds together
through her music.
Her versatility and talent enables her to
sing many styles of music and her stage
presence makes her the complete entertainer.
* * * * * * * * * *
For further information please check out the
following four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
That's all for now and thank you. Have a great day!
listeners of our four Internet Pacific Islands
Radio Stations.
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
The Blog will focus on issues relating to
Pacific Island music. It will also embrace
some of the exciting changes taking place
in the Internet Radio Revolution,as well as
updated information on our Pacific
Island Artists, Programming and Playlists.
NEWS AND VIEWS
In the last few blogs, it has been my great
pleasure to be able to present an outline of
the traditional and contemporary music of
Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. This
was followed by a similar general overview
of Pacific Island music in the context of
the origins, mythology and external
influences on the music and people of the
Pacific Islands.
In this edition, I would like to share with
you some thoughts on Pacific Island music and
its relevance in the global context of popular
music. Certainly, as a musical genre, Pacific
Island music is distinctive, exciting and
enthralling - it displays a depth of understanding
of human experiences that can touch the very
heart and soul of the listener. Despite all this,
Pacific Island music has not yet achieved the
support, and the success it fully deserves on
the international music scene. Certainly, many
of our excellent artists have achieved superstar
status in their own countries and in the Pacific
region, although, as yet, have not been able to
translate this success onto a global environment.
Indeed, the necessary ingredients for
international success are all present - in the
form of world quality recording studios, top
class musicians, and singers with amazing talents,
along with a loyal and appreciative local support
base. One would perhaps have to ask what needs
to be done in order for these talented people to
achieve international acclaim (as per one of
the beautiful letters below that I have recently
received from Japan by a talented artist from
New Zealand).
The late great Hawaiian musician, Israel
Kamakawiwo Ole' (Bruddah Iz), was one of
those who made the statement that, as island
people, we live in both worlds - the traditional
world of our island people, and the western
world that we are, of necessity, part of. In
this respect, being able to reconcile the often
conflicting demands of our traditional lifestyle,
and western lifestyle, is something that is very
apparent in island life, and thus is a very
important factor in the longer term wider
success of Pacific Island music.
In some cases, it is perhaps a sad reality that,
some of our talented artists, are unable to
reconcile our traditional values with western
values, which can easily swamp those of our
traditional society. Yet, one would have to
suspect that ultimate success as a musical
artist depends on a successful fusion of our
traditional music with the musical expectations
of a global audience.
Out of all our musical groups, we are very
proud to be able to say that Te Vaka has
successfully been able to achieve international
acclaim and recognition and, in many respects,
can be considered a role model for any group
wishing to achieve and enjoy international
success. A performance by Te Vaka is exciting
and completely enthralling - a visual and musical
experience that always stays in the mind of the
audience. Te Vaka, as an accomplished group
of musicians and performers, has been able
to combine exciting dance and vibrant music as
they tell the stories of the mythology and the
many trials and tribulations of our Pacific Island
people.
With most of Te Vaka's songs being presented
in their native language, western audiences, in
the main, do not understand the lyrics, however,
the message is always clear. With a strong and
resonant musical beat, combined with exciting
dance and theatre, the audience is left in no doubt
as to the underlying message of the performance.
As a solo artist, teenage artist, Vanessa Quai, from
the Pacific nation of Vanuatu, is certainly making
a big impression on the musical scene, both in the
Pacific region, as well as internationally. Indeed
Vanessa's achievement in winning the first prize in
the RTV Golden Stag International Music Festival
in Brasov, Romania, on the 23rd September 2005,
strongly suggests that Vanessa has the potential of
being a major international star of the future. With
the support of her wonderful family, including her
father/manager, Nigel Quai, as well as her frequent
musical collaboration with her talented Melanesian
fellow artist, Edou, (our Feature Artist in our
March 2006 edition of this Pacific Island Music
Newsletter), Vanessa Quai, the talented young
lady from Vanuatu, definitely has a very bright
and assured musical future.
I am very pleased to be able to say that our
Pacific Islands Radio is reaching out to a vast
worldwide audience and has generated great
interest, along with a great many requests
from those wonderful people who would like
to purchase our beautiful Pacific Island music.
In addition, there has been many most
welcome e-mails from talented artists from
the Pacific Islands (and worldwide), who
would greatly appreciate the opportunity of
having their music featured on Pacific Islands
Radio. Let me humbly say that this is, indeed,
a great honour coming from such gifted artists.
I have included one such beautiful letter,
below, from an artist who certainly deserves
our assistance and support.
Once again, may I ask you, our valued members,
to assist in whatever way we can to help promote
another of our talented artists. Thank you.
"Jane,
I have been listening to your radio station on-line
from Japan. I am a New Zealander (Maori) but
Tokyo-based musician...I play with all Japanese
musicians and we play regularly around Japan.
We have just finished a 16 date tour of New
Zealand and our 2nd album 'Papatu Road' will
be available in stores in Japan from May 10th.
The album has received critical acclaim from
reviewers back in New Zealand. I belong to a
small independent record label in Japan
called 'Suzuki Records'. They do my promotion
inside Japan, but nothing outside and, because
I am so desperate to reach the wider community,
I am researching avenues myself.
I actually had an interview on ABC Radio
Australia last month with Heather Javis on
'In the Loop'
www.myspace.com/benkempmusic
I have been exploring Polynesian and Asian
influences through music for several years
now. Here is some information on me:
www.benkemp.co.nz
http://www.thread.co.nz/article/1838
http://www.amplifier.co.nz/artist/13972/ben_kemp.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0601/S00109.htm
I would greatly appreciate any support you can
offer. Should you require any further information
i.e previous radio interviews, or MP3's or an album,
please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
E noho ra, Ben"
Finally, I would very much like to thank you,
our valued members, along with our worldwide
listeners, for the incredible and much
appreciated increase in the number of listening
hours and presets on all our four Pacific Islands
Radio Stations. In particular, the support for
our new Pacific Islands Radio Station - Radio
Melanesia - has been just great and, once
again, very much appreciated!
Keep on listening everybody and enjoy the
music! Thank you so very much!
By the way, I should mention also that our
Playlists now include the beautiful tracks
from Edou's latest exciting album, along with
some haunting, beautiful and melodious tracks
from Laisa Vulakoro, our Feature Artist this
month! Enjoy!
(See below under: Feature Artist).
* * * * * * * * * *
NOTICE BOARD
MELANESIAN MUSIC -
"RADIO MELANESIA"
Pacific Islands Radio is very pleased
to be able to advise that Pacific
Islands Radio 28K has now been converted
to "RADIO MELANESIA" - to progressively
highlight the vibrant and exciting music
of Melanesia, along with a selection of
music from Polynesia and Micronesia.
RADIO MELANESIA
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres
OCEANIA MESSAGE FORUMS
I am very pleased to be able to say that,
in addition to our main Oceania Guest Book,
additional Forums have been introduced to
all Web sites of the main islands and islets
of the Pacific, as well as personalities,
along with our Pacific Islands Radio Web sites:
http://pub47.bravenet.com/forum/4004922603
As you are no doubt aware, these Forums
have been most beneficial in bringing together
many people with an interest in and a love of
the beautiful and enchanting music of the
Pacific Islands. You are cordially invited to
share your valuable and important thoughts
and opinions with us all.
Recent additions also include the Web
sites for Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Republic
of Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands,
Tonga, Tokelau, Easter Island, New
Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New
Guinea, Cook Islands and Pitcairn Island,
Niue, as well as our Oceania Postcards
and Picture Galleries - and many more!
Thank you.
PACIFIC ISLANDS RADIO
I would like to mention, in response
to some of the e-mails and messages that I
have received, from those wonderful people
who would like to listen to our beautiful
Pacific Island music, but unfortunately,
are unable to actually listen to the music.
Basically, it is quite easy to access and
enjoy Pacific Islands Radio (our four
Pacific Islands Radio Stations). Once
you have accessed the page, it is most
necessary to firstly log on, in order to
be able to listen to the music. The process
of being able to log on can be achieved
by providing your username and password
before clicking on the yellow 'Play'
button provided on the centre of the page.
Good Luck and Enjoy!
In addition, the many listeners who would
like to purchase the music played on our
four Pacific Islands Radio Stations, in CD
format, can obtain details of recommended
suppliers by clicking on Artists' Profiles
on Pacific Islands Radio Home Page:
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Pacific Islands Radio continues to offer a
range of broadcasting formats in order to
allow a wide range of listeners to enjoy
our beautiful island music.
STATIONS
Our four Pacific Islands Radio Stations
play the enchanting music of the Pacific
Islands 24 hours daily.
www.pacificislandsradio.com
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/radio/index.htm
Pacific Music Radio (mp3PRO)
http://www.live365.com/stations/drjaneresture
Pacific Islands Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeresture
Radio Melanesia
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeres
Micronesia Music Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/jane_resture
FEATURE ARTISTS
LAISA VULAKORO
Laisa Vulakoro, the Vude Queen, is one
of the most popular singers of all time in Fiji.
Vude, pronounced `vu-n-day' is the music
beat that is unique to Fiji - a combination of
Disco, Rock, Country and Island Style. The
beat derives from the traditional `Meke' or
dance sound.
Laisa has been singing for almost 20 years and,
with 16 published albums to her name has written
and arranged most of her songs. Born on the
remote island of Yacata in Fiji with a population
of only 150, no running water or electricity, she is
the youngest girl of a family of 8 girls and 6 boys.
Her late father, Delai, was a choir-master and lay
preacher of their church. Everyone in the family
sang in the church. Her late father, and a few of
her brothers, are also song-writers. Her band in
Fiji includes mainly family members.
Laisa is currently a Director of the Fiji Performing
Rights Association, which is a non-profit
organization that protects the rights of composers
in Fiji. She has toured most of the Pacific Islands,
including Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New
Caledonia, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands,
Hawaii and the Solomon Islands. She has also
toured North America, Australia, New Zealand
and London. She has performed in most of the
top Resorts in Fiji and for many years was the
resident singer at the Regent of Fiji and the
Sheraton Fiji Resort.
Laisa is a Charity Worker who has donated her
time and talent towards helping underprivileged
women and children and is a `Champion' of
promoting young talent, especially with the Blind
School, Hilton Special School and various
orphanages around Fiji.
In recognition of her tireless contribution to
charity, she was awarded a Fiji Independence
Medal in 1996, given only to outstanding Fiji
Citizens and, in 2003, the French Government
awarded her the title of Chevallier of Fine Art
and Literature.
Laisa was named by a well-known columnist
in Fiji as "Fiji's Living National Treasure" in
recognition of her ability to bring people from
all races and diverse backgrounds together
through her music.
Her versatility and talent enables her to
sing many styles of music and her stage
presence makes her the complete entertainer.
* * * * * * * * * *
For further information please check out the
following four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
That's all for now and thank you. Have a great day!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Our Pacific Ocean - About Rubbish
Welcome everybody to Jane's blog where you are invited to share your thoughts and experiences about our beautiful Pacific Ocean. I do not want to start out on a negative note, however, I would like to thank those people who have written in expressing concern about the amount of litter that they have encountered in various parts of the Pacific.These comments are of particular concern in the light of recent reports describing the Pacific Ocean as the world's largest rubbish dump - a vast area of floating plastic debris and other flotsam drifting in the northern Pacific Ocean, held there by swirling ocean currents.
Often referred to as the great Pacific garbage patch, it is now alarming some with its ever-growing size and possible impact on human health.The "patch" is, in fact, two huge linked areas of circulating rubbish, stretching from about 500 nautical miles off the coast of California, across the northern Pacific to near the coast of Japan. Almost twice the size as continental United States, the islands of Hawaii are placed almost in the middle, so piles of plastic are regularly washed up on some beaches there. The concentration of floating plastic debris just beneath the ocean's surface is the product of underwater currents, which conspire to bring together all the junk - an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic - that accumulates in the Pacific Ocean. Studies have indicated that about 20 per cent of the junk is thought to come from marine craft, while the rest originates from countries around the Pacific like Mexico, Australia and China. The waste forms in what are called tropical gyres - areas where the oceans slowly circulate due to extreme high pressure systems and where there is little wind. Historically, flotsam in the gyres has biodegraded..But modern plastics do not break down like other oceanic debris, meaning objects half a century old have been found in the North Pacific Gyre. Rather the plastic slowly photodegrades, becoming brittle and disintegrating into smaller and smaller pieces which enter the food chain and end up in the stomachs of birds and other animals. This is certainly a very sorry state of affairs as the small plastic particles acted like a sponge to trap many dangerous man-made chemicals that found their way into the ocean, like hydrocarbons and DDT. Eventually what goes into the ocean goes into the animals and eventually enters the human food chain exposing people worldwide to possible serious longer term health problems. Indeed syringes, cigarette lighters and tooth brushes from the "patch" have been found inside the carcases of sea birds.
The health of our planet depends upon many factors including the health of our vast Pacific Ocean. Certainly, the health of this beautiful Ocean cannot be improved if it continues to be used as nothing more than a convenient garbage dump.
You are invited to visit Jane Resture's Oceania Blog at:
http://janeresturesblog.blogspot.com/
For further infomation, you are also invited to check out the following Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Often referred to as the great Pacific garbage patch, it is now alarming some with its ever-growing size and possible impact on human health.The "patch" is, in fact, two huge linked areas of circulating rubbish, stretching from about 500 nautical miles off the coast of California, across the northern Pacific to near the coast of Japan. Almost twice the size as continental United States, the islands of Hawaii are placed almost in the middle, so piles of plastic are regularly washed up on some beaches there. The concentration of floating plastic debris just beneath the ocean's surface is the product of underwater currents, which conspire to bring together all the junk - an estimated 100 million tonnes of plastic - that accumulates in the Pacific Ocean. Studies have indicated that about 20 per cent of the junk is thought to come from marine craft, while the rest originates from countries around the Pacific like Mexico, Australia and China. The waste forms in what are called tropical gyres - areas where the oceans slowly circulate due to extreme high pressure systems and where there is little wind. Historically, flotsam in the gyres has biodegraded..But modern plastics do not break down like other oceanic debris, meaning objects half a century old have been found in the North Pacific Gyre. Rather the plastic slowly photodegrades, becoming brittle and disintegrating into smaller and smaller pieces which enter the food chain and end up in the stomachs of birds and other animals. This is certainly a very sorry state of affairs as the small plastic particles acted like a sponge to trap many dangerous man-made chemicals that found their way into the ocean, like hydrocarbons and DDT. Eventually what goes into the ocean goes into the animals and eventually enters the human food chain exposing people worldwide to possible serious longer term health problems. Indeed syringes, cigarette lighters and tooth brushes from the "patch" have been found inside the carcases of sea birds.
The health of our planet depends upon many factors including the health of our vast Pacific Ocean. Certainly, the health of this beautiful Ocean cannot be improved if it continues to be used as nothing more than a convenient garbage dump.
You are invited to visit Jane Resture's Oceania Blog at:
http://janeresturesblog.blogspot.com/
For further infomation, you are also invited to check out the following Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Traditional Music Of Polynesia
Welcome Everybody!
It will be my great pleasure to be able to discuss,
at least in a much broader outline, a little more
about the beautiful traditional music of Polynesia.
This will be in the context of the origins and the
early migration of the Polynesian people. The word
"Polynesia" means "many islands" - it comes from
the Greek words 'poly' which means many and
'nesos' which means "island".
Polynesia is a group of island chains spread
across much of the Pacific Ocean, and includes
many countries and territories. Internationally,
Polynesian music is mostly associated with
twinkling guitars and grass skirts, Hawaiian hula
and other tourist-friendly forms of music. While
these elements are justifiably a part of Polynesian
history and culture, there is actually a wide variety
of music made in the far-flung reaches of Polynesia.
Interestingly, recent studies of DNA in Taiwan has
provided some interesting conclusions about the
origins of the Polynesian and Melanesian people.
Certainly, linguistic studies have pointed to
the fact that the Polynesians, undoubtedly the
greatest seafarers in history, have their
origins in Taiwan.
Of the 23 million people in Taiwan, only
400,000 are descendants from the original
inhabitants. These people originally spoke
a language belonging to the Austronesian
group which is unrelated to Chinese but
includes the Polynesian tongues.
DNA studies of the original group found
three mutations shared by Taiwanese,
Polynesians and Melanesians, who also
speak Austronesian. These mutations are
not found in other Asians and hence suggest
that the Polynesians and Melanesians have
their origins in the original inhabitants
of Taiwan.
Certainly, human occupation of Oceania -
those vast reaches of the Pacific encompassing
Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia - began
on Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is on here
that archaeologists have dug primitive stone
tools and charcoal more than 25,000 years old
from camp sites used during the last Ice Age,
when sea levels were lower and the distances
between Australia, Papua New Guinea and the
other Indonesian islands were much less.
When melting ice raised the level of the
ocean and increased distances between land
falls, Papua New Guinea and its dark-skinned
inhabitants - Melanesians - became more
isolated until the coming of the brown-skinned
people - out of island Asia - Indonesia, the
Philippines and Taiwan.
In their outrigger and double canoes with sails
of plaited leaves, the latter reached New Guinea
and nearby islands about 4,500 years ago, but
did not dislodge the Melanesians they found
already living there. Among these seafarers were
the ancestors of the Polynesians. Using Fiji as
a staging area, some eventually sailed on to
uninhabited Tonga and Samoa.
Indeed, to have developed the physical types,
language, and culture that the Polynesians share
in common, these Polynesian forebears must
have been isolated for a time in a home group
of islands. A chain of archaeological discoveries
leads us to believe that this isolation started
in the islands of Tonga and Samoa roughly 3,000
years ago. Radiocarbon of Lapita pottery has
suggested that Tonga is the longest-inhabited
island group in Polynesia, with radiocarbon
dates as early as 1140 B.C. Thus we conclude
that Tonga's first settlers, the people who made
Lapita ware, were the first true Polynesians.
Language ties indicate that this migration
continued via Samoa eastward to the
Marquesas, where the oldest sites in Eastern
Polynesia have been found. Far to the
southeast of the Marquesas lies evidence of
a truly remarkable feat - a voyage to Easter
Island, some 2,400 miles away, in the face
of prevailing winds and currents. Polynesia's
easternmost outpost, Easter Island, is not
only the most isolated inhabited island in the
Pacific, but it is only 15 miles long.
The sites on Easter Island show clear evidence
when considered in conjunction with the
archaeology and languages of the Society and
Marquesas Islands indicate strongly that the
pre-historic culture of Easter Island could
have evolved from a single landing of
Polynesians from a Marquesan island, fully
equipped to colonise an uninhabited volcanic
island. Their success in making this windswept
sixty-four square miles, without an edible native
plant, not only habitable but also the seat of
remarkable cultural achievements, is testimony
to the genius of these Polynesian settlers.
A study of excavated adzes, fish hooks,
ornaments and other artefacts indicates that
Tahiti and the other Society Islands must
have been settled soon after the Marquesas.
Present information indicates that Hawaii and
New Zealand were settled after A.D. 500.
Radiocarbon techniques permit us to assign
tentative dates to this entire Pacific migration:
entry into West Polynesia about 1000 B.C.,
reaching East Polynesia about the time of
Christ completing the occupation by
A.D.1000.
In central and eastern Pacific is a large triangular
area referred to as the Polynesian Triangle.
The triangle is formed by a line drawn from Hawaii
to new Zealand, bending westward to include the
Ellice Islands (Tuvalu) and passing between Fiji
and Tonga. This north to south forms the base.
Easter Island is the apex, located 4,000 miles to
the east. The Marquesas lie almost to the center
of the eastern line; from Easter in the south to
Hawaii in the north. Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti and
Cook islands are surrounded by the triangle.
New Zealand, the farthest south group of
Polynesian Islands.
It was in the Polynesian Triangle that the unique
and beautiful Polynesian culture evolved over
hundreds and, indeed, thousands of years. The
striking unity of the languages spoken in these
different islands, as well as sufficient similarities
in their arts, culture, custom and tradition allow
the world scientists and anthropologists to agree
that the Polynesians are a racial unit. It is
also here that the beautiful traditional music of
Polynesia has its origins.
The early music of Polynesia was composed
of rhythm instruments and vocals; they
comprise mainly chants without any harmonic
structure and without any oriental or occidental
influence. This early music was very fundamental
although some islands did use flutes and drums
to accompany their singing.
As there was no written language to record the
history of the Pacific Islands, it was our beautiful
island music that provided one essential record
of our heritage and this was passed from generation
to generation. Besides the tales of migration and
wars, the daily life of our Pacific Island people
was chronicled in our music. Throughout most of
Polynesia, contemporary music has been influenced
by outside influences. The only major stronghold to
retain traditional culture without much evolution
has been Tonga, which has pursued a relatively
isolationist history.
Throughout Tonga, traditional music has been
preserved in the set pieces performed at royal
and noble weddings and funerals, as well as in
the song sung during the traditional ceremony
of apology, the 'lou-ifi'.
Radio Tonga begins each day's broadcast with
a recording by a nobleman and celebrated virtuoso
of the nose flute which is otherwise rarely heard.
Some ancient dances such as the ula are still
performed. The 'lali' or slit-gong, is still in use --
as a substitute for a church bell by congregations
that cannot afford a bell.
Generally throughout Polynesia, the lyrics of
traditional songs are by far more important
than the melodic accompaniment, as it is the
lyrics that contain the elements of our cultural
heritage that are being preserved such as the
stories of the people, genealogies, histories
and migrations. Elements like rhythm melody,
harmony and dance are traditionally viewed
as accompaniment to the primary focus, the
lyrics, serving to embellish, illustrate and
decorate the words.
It is important to remember, however, that song
and dance are integral parts of the same cultural
elements throughout Polynesia. In action songs,
dance is used to illustrate the lyrics by moving
the hands or arms; some dances are performed seated.
Traditionally, dance moves do not illustrate the
song's narrative, but rather draw attention to
specific words and themes; in modern times,
however, dances are more often explicitly narrative
in their focus. There are also traditional dances
performed without lyrics, to the accompaniment
of percussive music.
The most important instrument is the voice, though
multiple varieties of slit drums and conch shells are
also popular; the human body is used as an instrument,
with clapping and knee-slapping used accompany songs
and dances. Other instruments include the pandanus,
a sitting mat that is also used as a percussion
instrument, nose flutes and, later, derivatives of
Portuguese guitars such as the ukulele and slack-key
guitar.
In the 1790s, Christian missionaries arrived in
Polynesia for the first time. Hymns and other forms
of Christian music were instituted, and native musical
genres were largely driven underground and prohibited.
Soon, traditional polyphonic singing was merged with
Christian styles and church singing became an important
part of Polynesian culture across the Pacific.
The music of Polynesian is the most well known music
from Oceania. It includes everything from the Hawaiian
hula and steel-guitar traditions to joyful, polyphonic
choral music of Tahiti. Though traditional instruments
such as slit-gongs and nose-flutes can be found throughout
the region, the voice has long been the most important
instrument among Polynesian peoples. Whether singing
Christian hymns imported by missionaries or traditional
songs such as the 'lakalaka' of Tonga that date back
generations, their choral music is unsurpassed. Also
important in Polynesian musical culture is dance, both
to accompany "action songs" such as the hula and the
'aparima' of Tahiti, or in the signature seated-dance
styles such as Western Samoa's 'ma'ulu'ulu'. Polynesia
also offers the unique music of New Zealand's Maori
people, whose legendary 'hakka' dance can still send
shivers down an onlooker's spine.
I do hope that you have enjoyed this brief outline
of the origins of our traditional and beautiful
Polynesian music. In the next edition, it will be
my great pleasure to share with you a little more
information on the origins of the traditional music
of our beautiful Micronesia!
FEATURE ARTISTS
PACIFIC CHANTS: TRADITIONAL MUSIC
OF EASTERN POLYNESIA
David Fanshawe presents important highlights
from his monumental Pacific Collections, recorded
over fourteen years (1978-1992). The selections
focus on the rich variety of authentic himene (hymns)
indigenous to Tahiti, the Cook Islands, the Society
Islands, the Austral Islands, Manihiki, Pukapuka,
Maupiti, Tahaa, Bora Bora, and Raivavae. The 20
tracks include a valuable collection of traditional
music including, The Signing Reef 1 - 5, Legend
of Maupiti and Marae Arahurahu.
RUIA AND RANEA
The talented Maori twins, Ruia and Ranea Aperahama,
deliver a celebration of contemporary Maori music that
is performed completely in the Maori language. The
musical styles include reggae, soul, Latin rhythm elements,
and a strong spiritual theme that ties the album together,
giving it a natural Maori essence.
SOUL PAUA
Soul Paua are Jerry Banse and Turi Reedy. Jerry is
Samoan, Turei, a Maori. Their music is in te reo,
sometimes in English and a mix of rock, jazz, blues
folk and traditional Maori music. Their debut album
is based on the story of an urban young Maori prophet
and is currently being developed as a stage production.
The songs on the album follow the story of one man
from his birth, the troubles he is confronted with,
the prophetic abilities he discovers and how he
reflects on his journey.
The themes talk about the ability of anyone to
do anything at any time. The story is based on
the tales of Maui and the prophets - both of
which came from unlikely beginnings. Maui
was abandoned at birth and the prophets were
often considered rebels or on the outside of
decent society.
That's all for now. I wish you all a wonderful
and prosperous day. Thank you.
For further information, please check my four
Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
It will be my great pleasure to be able to discuss,
at least in a much broader outline, a little more
about the beautiful traditional music of Polynesia.
This will be in the context of the origins and the
early migration of the Polynesian people. The word
"Polynesia" means "many islands" - it comes from
the Greek words 'poly' which means many and
'nesos' which means "island".
Polynesia is a group of island chains spread
across much of the Pacific Ocean, and includes
many countries and territories. Internationally,
Polynesian music is mostly associated with
twinkling guitars and grass skirts, Hawaiian hula
and other tourist-friendly forms of music. While
these elements are justifiably a part of Polynesian
history and culture, there is actually a wide variety
of music made in the far-flung reaches of Polynesia.
Interestingly, recent studies of DNA in Taiwan has
provided some interesting conclusions about the
origins of the Polynesian and Melanesian people.
Certainly, linguistic studies have pointed to
the fact that the Polynesians, undoubtedly the
greatest seafarers in history, have their
origins in Taiwan.
Of the 23 million people in Taiwan, only
400,000 are descendants from the original
inhabitants. These people originally spoke
a language belonging to the Austronesian
group which is unrelated to Chinese but
includes the Polynesian tongues.
DNA studies of the original group found
three mutations shared by Taiwanese,
Polynesians and Melanesians, who also
speak Austronesian. These mutations are
not found in other Asians and hence suggest
that the Polynesians and Melanesians have
their origins in the original inhabitants
of Taiwan.
Certainly, human occupation of Oceania -
those vast reaches of the Pacific encompassing
Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia - began
on Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is on here
that archaeologists have dug primitive stone
tools and charcoal more than 25,000 years old
from camp sites used during the last Ice Age,
when sea levels were lower and the distances
between Australia, Papua New Guinea and the
other Indonesian islands were much less.
When melting ice raised the level of the
ocean and increased distances between land
falls, Papua New Guinea and its dark-skinned
inhabitants - Melanesians - became more
isolated until the coming of the brown-skinned
people - out of island Asia - Indonesia, the
Philippines and Taiwan.
In their outrigger and double canoes with sails
of plaited leaves, the latter reached New Guinea
and nearby islands about 4,500 years ago, but
did not dislodge the Melanesians they found
already living there. Among these seafarers were
the ancestors of the Polynesians. Using Fiji as
a staging area, some eventually sailed on to
uninhabited Tonga and Samoa.
Indeed, to have developed the physical types,
language, and culture that the Polynesians share
in common, these Polynesian forebears must
have been isolated for a time in a home group
of islands. A chain of archaeological discoveries
leads us to believe that this isolation started
in the islands of Tonga and Samoa roughly 3,000
years ago. Radiocarbon of Lapita pottery has
suggested that Tonga is the longest-inhabited
island group in Polynesia, with radiocarbon
dates as early as 1140 B.C. Thus we conclude
that Tonga's first settlers, the people who made
Lapita ware, were the first true Polynesians.
Language ties indicate that this migration
continued via Samoa eastward to the
Marquesas, where the oldest sites in Eastern
Polynesia have been found. Far to the
southeast of the Marquesas lies evidence of
a truly remarkable feat - a voyage to Easter
Island, some 2,400 miles away, in the face
of prevailing winds and currents. Polynesia's
easternmost outpost, Easter Island, is not
only the most isolated inhabited island in the
Pacific, but it is only 15 miles long.
The sites on Easter Island show clear evidence
when considered in conjunction with the
archaeology and languages of the Society and
Marquesas Islands indicate strongly that the
pre-historic culture of Easter Island could
have evolved from a single landing of
Polynesians from a Marquesan island, fully
equipped to colonise an uninhabited volcanic
island. Their success in making this windswept
sixty-four square miles, without an edible native
plant, not only habitable but also the seat of
remarkable cultural achievements, is testimony
to the genius of these Polynesian settlers.
A study of excavated adzes, fish hooks,
ornaments and other artefacts indicates that
Tahiti and the other Society Islands must
have been settled soon after the Marquesas.
Present information indicates that Hawaii and
New Zealand were settled after A.D. 500.
Radiocarbon techniques permit us to assign
tentative dates to this entire Pacific migration:
entry into West Polynesia about 1000 B.C.,
reaching East Polynesia about the time of
Christ completing the occupation by
A.D.1000.
In central and eastern Pacific is a large triangular
area referred to as the Polynesian Triangle.
The triangle is formed by a line drawn from Hawaii
to new Zealand, bending westward to include the
Ellice Islands (Tuvalu) and passing between Fiji
and Tonga. This north to south forms the base.
Easter Island is the apex, located 4,000 miles to
the east. The Marquesas lie almost to the center
of the eastern line; from Easter in the south to
Hawaii in the north. Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti and
Cook islands are surrounded by the triangle.
New Zealand, the farthest south group of
Polynesian Islands.
It was in the Polynesian Triangle that the unique
and beautiful Polynesian culture evolved over
hundreds and, indeed, thousands of years. The
striking unity of the languages spoken in these
different islands, as well as sufficient similarities
in their arts, culture, custom and tradition allow
the world scientists and anthropologists to agree
that the Polynesians are a racial unit. It is
also here that the beautiful traditional music of
Polynesia has its origins.
The early music of Polynesia was composed
of rhythm instruments and vocals; they
comprise mainly chants without any harmonic
structure and without any oriental or occidental
influence. This early music was very fundamental
although some islands did use flutes and drums
to accompany their singing.
As there was no written language to record the
history of the Pacific Islands, it was our beautiful
island music that provided one essential record
of our heritage and this was passed from generation
to generation. Besides the tales of migration and
wars, the daily life of our Pacific Island people
was chronicled in our music. Throughout most of
Polynesia, contemporary music has been influenced
by outside influences. The only major stronghold to
retain traditional culture without much evolution
has been Tonga, which has pursued a relatively
isolationist history.
Throughout Tonga, traditional music has been
preserved in the set pieces performed at royal
and noble weddings and funerals, as well as in
the song sung during the traditional ceremony
of apology, the 'lou-ifi'.
Radio Tonga begins each day's broadcast with
a recording by a nobleman and celebrated virtuoso
of the nose flute which is otherwise rarely heard.
Some ancient dances such as the ula are still
performed. The 'lali' or slit-gong, is still in use --
as a substitute for a church bell by congregations
that cannot afford a bell.
Generally throughout Polynesia, the lyrics of
traditional songs are by far more important
than the melodic accompaniment, as it is the
lyrics that contain the elements of our cultural
heritage that are being preserved such as the
stories of the people, genealogies, histories
and migrations. Elements like rhythm melody,
harmony and dance are traditionally viewed
as accompaniment to the primary focus, the
lyrics, serving to embellish, illustrate and
decorate the words.
It is important to remember, however, that song
and dance are integral parts of the same cultural
elements throughout Polynesia. In action songs,
dance is used to illustrate the lyrics by moving
the hands or arms; some dances are performed seated.
Traditionally, dance moves do not illustrate the
song's narrative, but rather draw attention to
specific words and themes; in modern times,
however, dances are more often explicitly narrative
in their focus. There are also traditional dances
performed without lyrics, to the accompaniment
of percussive music.
The most important instrument is the voice, though
multiple varieties of slit drums and conch shells are
also popular; the human body is used as an instrument,
with clapping and knee-slapping used accompany songs
and dances. Other instruments include the pandanus,
a sitting mat that is also used as a percussion
instrument, nose flutes and, later, derivatives of
Portuguese guitars such as the ukulele and slack-key
guitar.
In the 1790s, Christian missionaries arrived in
Polynesia for the first time. Hymns and other forms
of Christian music were instituted, and native musical
genres were largely driven underground and prohibited.
Soon, traditional polyphonic singing was merged with
Christian styles and church singing became an important
part of Polynesian culture across the Pacific.
The music of Polynesian is the most well known music
from Oceania. It includes everything from the Hawaiian
hula and steel-guitar traditions to joyful, polyphonic
choral music of Tahiti. Though traditional instruments
such as slit-gongs and nose-flutes can be found throughout
the region, the voice has long been the most important
instrument among Polynesian peoples. Whether singing
Christian hymns imported by missionaries or traditional
songs such as the 'lakalaka' of Tonga that date back
generations, their choral music is unsurpassed. Also
important in Polynesian musical culture is dance, both
to accompany "action songs" such as the hula and the
'aparima' of Tahiti, or in the signature seated-dance
styles such as Western Samoa's 'ma'ulu'ulu'. Polynesia
also offers the unique music of New Zealand's Maori
people, whose legendary 'hakka' dance can still send
shivers down an onlooker's spine.
I do hope that you have enjoyed this brief outline
of the origins of our traditional and beautiful
Polynesian music. In the next edition, it will be
my great pleasure to share with you a little more
information on the origins of the traditional music
of our beautiful Micronesia!
FEATURE ARTISTS
PACIFIC CHANTS: TRADITIONAL MUSIC
OF EASTERN POLYNESIA
David Fanshawe presents important highlights
from his monumental Pacific Collections, recorded
over fourteen years (1978-1992). The selections
focus on the rich variety of authentic himene (hymns)
indigenous to Tahiti, the Cook Islands, the Society
Islands, the Austral Islands, Manihiki, Pukapuka,
Maupiti, Tahaa, Bora Bora, and Raivavae. The 20
tracks include a valuable collection of traditional
music including, The Signing Reef 1 - 5, Legend
of Maupiti and Marae Arahurahu.
RUIA AND RANEA
The talented Maori twins, Ruia and Ranea Aperahama,
deliver a celebration of contemporary Maori music that
is performed completely in the Maori language. The
musical styles include reggae, soul, Latin rhythm elements,
and a strong spiritual theme that ties the album together,
giving it a natural Maori essence.
SOUL PAUA
Soul Paua are Jerry Banse and Turi Reedy. Jerry is
Samoan, Turei, a Maori. Their music is in te reo,
sometimes in English and a mix of rock, jazz, blues
folk and traditional Maori music. Their debut album
is based on the story of an urban young Maori prophet
and is currently being developed as a stage production.
The songs on the album follow the story of one man
from his birth, the troubles he is confronted with,
the prophetic abilities he discovers and how he
reflects on his journey.
The themes talk about the ability of anyone to
do anything at any time. The story is based on
the tales of Maui and the prophets - both of
which came from unlikely beginnings. Maui
was abandoned at birth and the prophets were
often considered rebels or on the outside of
decent society.
That's all for now. I wish you all a wonderful
and prosperous day. Thank you.
For further information, please check my four
Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Overfishing Of Our Oceans
It is rather disturbing to read that thirteen years after the world rallied to curb overfishing, most nations are failing to abide by the United Nation's "code of conduct" for managing fisheries. Australia, Norway, the United States, Canada, Iceland and Namibia were the only nations that scored above a 60 per cent compliance rate, the equivalent of a barely passing "D" grade, according to a marine scientist's research.
The global fisheries standards were developed in 1995 by the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome. Though voluntary, the 12-part code is based on rules of international law and some of it has been made into legally binding agreements. It was crafted to include all aspects of the fishing business, including processing and trade in fish products, aquaculture, marine research and coastal management, reducing pollution and harmful fishing practices. The code also has been translated into 100 languages to try to encourage people to follow it.
Sadly, a survey published in the journal 'Nature' raises troubling questions about how the world's marine fisheries can continue to supply the main source of protein for many on the Planet with the oceans being severely overfished.
A spokesman for the United Nation Environment Program said that overfishing shows nations' failure to address "fundamental links" between ecology and the daily needs of tens of millions of people. The spokesman went on to say that "It's absolutely clear that one of the great market failures of modern times is the management of the world's fisheries, and there are examples from almost every fishery across the globe where the fishing effort exceeds the available catch".
Indeed, it was two years ago, that a team of ecologists and economists warned in the journal 'Science' that just about all seafood sources face collapse by 2048 if current trends of overfishing and pollution continue.
There is no doubt that these findings present a serious problem for people worldwide and, in particular, for our Pacific Island people for whom fish stocks are an essential and only source of protein. Certainly, declining fish stocks may well make it impossible for our traditional island way of life to survive for much longer.
For further information, please check out the following four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
The global fisheries standards were developed in 1995 by the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome. Though voluntary, the 12-part code is based on rules of international law and some of it has been made into legally binding agreements. It was crafted to include all aspects of the fishing business, including processing and trade in fish products, aquaculture, marine research and coastal management, reducing pollution and harmful fishing practices. The code also has been translated into 100 languages to try to encourage people to follow it.
Sadly, a survey published in the journal 'Nature' raises troubling questions about how the world's marine fisheries can continue to supply the main source of protein for many on the Planet with the oceans being severely overfished.
A spokesman for the United Nation Environment Program said that overfishing shows nations' failure to address "fundamental links" between ecology and the daily needs of tens of millions of people. The spokesman went on to say that "It's absolutely clear that one of the great market failures of modern times is the management of the world's fisheries, and there are examples from almost every fishery across the globe where the fishing effort exceeds the available catch".
Indeed, it was two years ago, that a team of ecologists and economists warned in the journal 'Science' that just about all seafood sources face collapse by 2048 if current trends of overfishing and pollution continue.
There is no doubt that these findings present a serious problem for people worldwide and, in particular, for our Pacific Island people for whom fish stocks are an essential and only source of protein. Certainly, declining fish stocks may well make it impossible for our traditional island way of life to survive for much longer.
For further information, please check out the following four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Oceania Origins And Micronesian Music
Welcome Everybody!
I would now like to discuss a little further
about the origins of the Polynesian and
Micronesian people, as well as the traditional
music of Micronesia.
The islands of Micronesia include the Federated
States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk
and Yap), Guam, Palau, Saipan, the Republic
of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of
Kiribati. Indeed, Micronesia means 'small
islands' and is derived from the Greek words
'mikros' which means small, and 'nesos' which
means island. This is a perfect way to
describe these over two thousand tropical
islands scattered across the heart of the
Pacific Ocean between Hawai'i and the Philippines.
They are spread over a great distance, yet
each has its own culture, history, customs,
rituals, myths and legends, ethnology, lifestyle
and topographical personality.
The islands of Micronesia and Polynesia
collectively comprise the last major region
of the globe to be settled by humans. Both of
these groups of islands were colonized within
the last 5,000 years by Austronesian-speaking
agriculturists. In the past, linguistic studies
have been a major factor in suggesting the origins
of both the Micronesian and Polynesian people
who, in the main, are of medium stature with
straight hair and brown skin.
One of the earliest records of the evidence
of Polynesian languages deriving from Asia
was that of the missionary, John Williams,
who, in 1840, published a range of Polynesian
words along with their Asian origins. In his
book, 'Missionary Enterprises In The South
Sea Islands' published in London by John
Snow in 1840, William ponders in Chapter XXIX
on the origins of the South Sea Islands. He
draws the distinction between the characteristics
of the Melanesians and those of the Polynesians
which he considered had Malay characteristics and
Indian social structure. These he took as clear
indications of the Asiatic origin of the Polynesian
people. He said, however, that the language spoken
by the Malays and the Polynesians was clear
evidence of the origins of the Polynesians.
Certainly, it was common for anthropologists
to base past studies on linguistics. A study
of grammar and word lists allowed researchers
to establish degrees of correlation between
various Pacific Islanders. For example, the
Chamorro language is most closely related to
Bareic in Sulawesi based on a comparison of
standardized word lists. Linguists have
formulated theories of Pacific Island colonization
based on the similarity of languages including
P.S. Bellwood, who wrote the definitive work
on the peopling of the Pacific, relying heavily
on linguistic evidence.
Recent research has suggested, however, that
DNA offers a better way to study the relationships
between Pacific Island people. There is a problem
in using language to predict relations among people
in that language is a culturally transmitted and
not a biological trait, whereas DNA is the genetic
material that determines biological inheritance.
In a DNA study undertaken in 1994, Koji Lum
from The Institute of Statistical Mathematics,
Tokyo, Japan, collected head hair in Micronesia.
He used the head hair to obtain DNA samples.
The study was undertaken in order to compare
the genetic relationships of various Micronesian
groups to other Pacific Islanders and Asians and
their languages. The study examined DNA that
is found within mitochondria (mtDNA), small
cellular bodies that function as the energy
factories and storehouses of our cells.
Mitochondria are inherited from the body of the
mother's fertilized egg, and are transmitted
maternally to the next generation. Consequently,
this analysis ignores inheritance from a father.
In general, this study found that the majority
of mtDNA sequences from Micronesian and
Polynesian populations are derived from Asia,
whereas others are inferred to have originated
in New Guinea. The data supported the concept
of an Island Southeast Asian origin and a
colonization route along the north coast of New
Guinea. The Marianas and the main island of
Yap appear to have been independently settled
directly from Island Southeast Asia, and both
have received migrants from Central-Eastern
Micronesia since then. Palau clearly demonstrates
a complex prehistory including a significant
influx of lineages from New Guinea. Thus genetic
similarities among Micronesian and Polynesian
populations result, in some cases, from a common
origin and, in others, from extensive gene flow.
As well as showing that Micronesians and
Polynesians have a southeast Asian homeland,
studies based on DNA contributed by both
females and males to their offspring generally
indicate a greater degree of Melanesian heritage
for Polynesians and Micronesians.
There are some exceptions, however, with the
results for Palau and Yap showing that the
mtDNA and linguistic relationships do not agree.
This can be interpreted in a number of ways and
suggests that Palau has been 'seeded' by people
with ancestral roots in island Southeast Asia and
Melanesia, as well as the more easterly parts of
Micronesia.
In addition, Chamorro mtDNA is very distinctive
when compared to other Micronesians and
Polynesians. This suggests that the Marianas have
a different settlement history than the rest of
Micronesia. Chamorros have not mixed much
with other Micronesians. The study suggests that
Chamorros and Aboriginal Malays have common
maternal ancestral origins in the distant past.
This was a time being before the Chamorros
were a distinctive group and before the colonization
of the Marianas by people whose descendants
would only later develop the way of living that
defined them as Chamorros.
Music and dance in Micronesia, though certainly
not the same as their Polynesian counterparts, are
closely related to them.With the exception of Truk
(Chuuk) in the central Carolines, which displays
traits of Melanesian and possibly Indonesian
influence, the music structure of all parts of
Micronesia is predominantly word-determined, as
is that of Polynesia. The songs of Micronesia tell
of legendary histories, genealogies and navigational
tales of the islands. Indeed, the music is based
around the mythology and ancient Micronesian
rituals which were handed down in a musical
context from one generation to the next.Certainly,
over generations, the traditional music of Micronesia
was composed utilizing mythology, magic, rituals
and closely guarded procedures. The music is very
voice oriented with chanting, stamping and body
percussion.
The musical instruments of Micronesia are few,
mainly as a consequence of limited material being
available throughout the small islands and atolls
of Micronesia..The shell trumpet and nose flute
are the most common, though standard flutes and
Jews harps are also found. A common idiophone
in Micronesia is a stick that is carried by men in
certain dances. The performers strike each others
sticks in the course of the choreography.
Membranophones are not very common, though
the hourglass single-headed drum like those played
in Papua New Guinea is found as far north as the
Marshall Islands. In keeping with the ecology of
atoll life, the skins of these drums are made from a
shark's belly or parts of the sting ray. Many atolls
of the Micronesian Pacific are without any
indigenous musical instruments whatsoever.
Dance movements are mainly of hands and arms
in accompaniment to poetry. In some islands, such
as Yap (in the western Carolines) and Kiribati,
there is a similar concern for rank in the placement
of dancers, as well as the emphasis on rehearsed
execution of songs and movements. But, although
movements and types of dance have a superficial
similarity to those of Polynesia, there are
differences.
In the Yap empire, for example, dancers from Ulithi,
Woleai, and other islands performed and taught their
choreography and texts to the Yapese as tribute,
even though the dance texts were in languages
unintelligible to the Yapese dancers; the function
of movements was not to illustrate a story but to
decorate it. Instead of acknowledging a chief's
deed or genealogy, the Yapese dancers
demonstrated the overlordship of Yap to the
other islands. Even in Ifalik, where texts were
in their own language, the movements did not
interpret poetry but were apparently abstractly
decorative. The same is true for Kiribati. Thus,
Polynesian dance could be characterized as
illustration of poetry, and Micronesian dance
as decoration of poetry, while music in both
areas serves as an elevated form of audible
performance for poetry.
FEATURE ARTISTS
TIM SAMEKE AND THE WE CE CA
(Melanesia)
Tim Sameke and his group, Wececa, are the
most popular dance troupe that produces shows
regularly in New Caledonia. Confident with this
popularity, they have recorded their first album
at the end of 1999. With the cover version of
one of Gurejele's hit, "Waipeipegu", Wececa
meets a huge success in the country and wish to
be the first band from New Caledonia to export
beyond the Pacific region
SOMAI SERENADERS
(Melanesia)
The Somai Serenaders from Savu-Savu, Fiji,
play a traditional string band style unique to
the islands. Every village, it seems, has its
own string band and that the Somai group is one
of the very best players. Their music is played
in a very ritualized fashion while sitting on
the floor or the ground around a large bowl filled
with kava juice. Kava is a local root that has
medicinal properties and leaves a mild narcotic
effect.
We were immediately impressed by their music
and their stories of how their music is inspired
by nature, like the rhythm of the wind blowing
through the palm trees. Apenisa Waqa, the lead
guitarist told us 'Just imagine a couple of coconuts
floating on the water and from that we compose
a song'.The group's instrumentation is three guitars
and a ukulele with four male voices -- sung in a
soprano range. But Apenisa's improvisational
guitar leads were tasteful and full of ease. It was
almost as if the entire Fijian lifestyle of taking
things slowly was being expressed through his
fingers.
They call their style of music 'Sigi Drigi' --
singing and drinking. When asked about what he
would like the world to know about their music,
Apenisa replied: 'We didn't know we were good -
we just do this to make the kava taste better'.
This group has never been recorded before and,
in fact, this genre of Fijian.
Thank you everybody and I wish you all the
very best in your important endeavours and
undertakings. Have a great and prosperous
day.
For further information, please check my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
I would now like to discuss a little further
about the origins of the Polynesian and
Micronesian people, as well as the traditional
music of Micronesia.
The islands of Micronesia include the Federated
States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk
and Yap), Guam, Palau, Saipan, the Republic
of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of
Kiribati. Indeed, Micronesia means 'small
islands' and is derived from the Greek words
'mikros' which means small, and 'nesos' which
means island. This is a perfect way to
describe these over two thousand tropical
islands scattered across the heart of the
Pacific Ocean between Hawai'i and the Philippines.
They are spread over a great distance, yet
each has its own culture, history, customs,
rituals, myths and legends, ethnology, lifestyle
and topographical personality.
The islands of Micronesia and Polynesia
collectively comprise the last major region
of the globe to be settled by humans. Both of
these groups of islands were colonized within
the last 5,000 years by Austronesian-speaking
agriculturists. In the past, linguistic studies
have been a major factor in suggesting the origins
of both the Micronesian and Polynesian people
who, in the main, are of medium stature with
straight hair and brown skin.
One of the earliest records of the evidence
of Polynesian languages deriving from Asia
was that of the missionary, John Williams,
who, in 1840, published a range of Polynesian
words along with their Asian origins. In his
book, 'Missionary Enterprises In The South
Sea Islands' published in London by John
Snow in 1840, William ponders in Chapter XXIX
on the origins of the South Sea Islands. He
draws the distinction between the characteristics
of the Melanesians and those of the Polynesians
which he considered had Malay characteristics and
Indian social structure. These he took as clear
indications of the Asiatic origin of the Polynesian
people. He said, however, that the language spoken
by the Malays and the Polynesians was clear
evidence of the origins of the Polynesians.
Certainly, it was common for anthropologists
to base past studies on linguistics. A study
of grammar and word lists allowed researchers
to establish degrees of correlation between
various Pacific Islanders. For example, the
Chamorro language is most closely related to
Bareic in Sulawesi based on a comparison of
standardized word lists. Linguists have
formulated theories of Pacific Island colonization
based on the similarity of languages including
P.S. Bellwood, who wrote the definitive work
on the peopling of the Pacific, relying heavily
on linguistic evidence.
Recent research has suggested, however, that
DNA offers a better way to study the relationships
between Pacific Island people. There is a problem
in using language to predict relations among people
in that language is a culturally transmitted and
not a biological trait, whereas DNA is the genetic
material that determines biological inheritance.
In a DNA study undertaken in 1994, Koji Lum
from The Institute of Statistical Mathematics,
Tokyo, Japan, collected head hair in Micronesia.
He used the head hair to obtain DNA samples.
The study was undertaken in order to compare
the genetic relationships of various Micronesian
groups to other Pacific Islanders and Asians and
their languages. The study examined DNA that
is found within mitochondria (mtDNA), small
cellular bodies that function as the energy
factories and storehouses of our cells.
Mitochondria are inherited from the body of the
mother's fertilized egg, and are transmitted
maternally to the next generation. Consequently,
this analysis ignores inheritance from a father.
In general, this study found that the majority
of mtDNA sequences from Micronesian and
Polynesian populations are derived from Asia,
whereas others are inferred to have originated
in New Guinea. The data supported the concept
of an Island Southeast Asian origin and a
colonization route along the north coast of New
Guinea. The Marianas and the main island of
Yap appear to have been independently settled
directly from Island Southeast Asia, and both
have received migrants from Central-Eastern
Micronesia since then. Palau clearly demonstrates
a complex prehistory including a significant
influx of lineages from New Guinea. Thus genetic
similarities among Micronesian and Polynesian
populations result, in some cases, from a common
origin and, in others, from extensive gene flow.
As well as showing that Micronesians and
Polynesians have a southeast Asian homeland,
studies based on DNA contributed by both
females and males to their offspring generally
indicate a greater degree of Melanesian heritage
for Polynesians and Micronesians.
There are some exceptions, however, with the
results for Palau and Yap showing that the
mtDNA and linguistic relationships do not agree.
This can be interpreted in a number of ways and
suggests that Palau has been 'seeded' by people
with ancestral roots in island Southeast Asia and
Melanesia, as well as the more easterly parts of
Micronesia.
In addition, Chamorro mtDNA is very distinctive
when compared to other Micronesians and
Polynesians. This suggests that the Marianas have
a different settlement history than the rest of
Micronesia. Chamorros have not mixed much
with other Micronesians. The study suggests that
Chamorros and Aboriginal Malays have common
maternal ancestral origins in the distant past.
This was a time being before the Chamorros
were a distinctive group and before the colonization
of the Marianas by people whose descendants
would only later develop the way of living that
defined them as Chamorros.
Music and dance in Micronesia, though certainly
not the same as their Polynesian counterparts, are
closely related to them.With the exception of Truk
(Chuuk) in the central Carolines, which displays
traits of Melanesian and possibly Indonesian
influence, the music structure of all parts of
Micronesia is predominantly word-determined, as
is that of Polynesia. The songs of Micronesia tell
of legendary histories, genealogies and navigational
tales of the islands. Indeed, the music is based
around the mythology and ancient Micronesian
rituals which were handed down in a musical
context from one generation to the next.Certainly,
over generations, the traditional music of Micronesia
was composed utilizing mythology, magic, rituals
and closely guarded procedures. The music is very
voice oriented with chanting, stamping and body
percussion.
The musical instruments of Micronesia are few,
mainly as a consequence of limited material being
available throughout the small islands and atolls
of Micronesia..The shell trumpet and nose flute
are the most common, though standard flutes and
Jews harps are also found. A common idiophone
in Micronesia is a stick that is carried by men in
certain dances. The performers strike each others
sticks in the course of the choreography.
Membranophones are not very common, though
the hourglass single-headed drum like those played
in Papua New Guinea is found as far north as the
Marshall Islands. In keeping with the ecology of
atoll life, the skins of these drums are made from a
shark's belly or parts of the sting ray. Many atolls
of the Micronesian Pacific are without any
indigenous musical instruments whatsoever.
Dance movements are mainly of hands and arms
in accompaniment to poetry. In some islands, such
as Yap (in the western Carolines) and Kiribati,
there is a similar concern for rank in the placement
of dancers, as well as the emphasis on rehearsed
execution of songs and movements. But, although
movements and types of dance have a superficial
similarity to those of Polynesia, there are
differences.
In the Yap empire, for example, dancers from Ulithi,
Woleai, and other islands performed and taught their
choreography and texts to the Yapese as tribute,
even though the dance texts were in languages
unintelligible to the Yapese dancers; the function
of movements was not to illustrate a story but to
decorate it. Instead of acknowledging a chief's
deed or genealogy, the Yapese dancers
demonstrated the overlordship of Yap to the
other islands. Even in Ifalik, where texts were
in their own language, the movements did not
interpret poetry but were apparently abstractly
decorative. The same is true for Kiribati. Thus,
Polynesian dance could be characterized as
illustration of poetry, and Micronesian dance
as decoration of poetry, while music in both
areas serves as an elevated form of audible
performance for poetry.
FEATURE ARTISTS
TIM SAMEKE AND THE WE CE CA
(Melanesia)
Tim Sameke and his group, Wececa, are the
most popular dance troupe that produces shows
regularly in New Caledonia. Confident with this
popularity, they have recorded their first album
at the end of 1999. With the cover version of
one of Gurejele's hit, "Waipeipegu", Wececa
meets a huge success in the country and wish to
be the first band from New Caledonia to export
beyond the Pacific region
SOMAI SERENADERS
(Melanesia)
The Somai Serenaders from Savu-Savu, Fiji,
play a traditional string band style unique to
the islands. Every village, it seems, has its
own string band and that the Somai group is one
of the very best players. Their music is played
in a very ritualized fashion while sitting on
the floor or the ground around a large bowl filled
with kava juice. Kava is a local root that has
medicinal properties and leaves a mild narcotic
effect.
We were immediately impressed by their music
and their stories of how their music is inspired
by nature, like the rhythm of the wind blowing
through the palm trees. Apenisa Waqa, the lead
guitarist told us 'Just imagine a couple of coconuts
floating on the water and from that we compose
a song'.The group's instrumentation is three guitars
and a ukulele with four male voices -- sung in a
soprano range. But Apenisa's improvisational
guitar leads were tasteful and full of ease. It was
almost as if the entire Fijian lifestyle of taking
things slowly was being expressed through his
fingers.
They call their style of music 'Sigi Drigi' --
singing and drinking. When asked about what he
would like the world to know about their music,
Apenisa replied: 'We didn't know we were good -
we just do this to make the kava taste better'.
This group has never been recorded before and,
in fact, this genre of Fijian.
Thank you everybody and I wish you all the
very best in your important endeavours and
undertakings. Have a great and prosperous
day.
For further information, please check my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Oceania - The Hawaiian Music And Dance
Welcome Everybody!
It will be my great pleasure to be able to spend
a little time discussing the relationship between
the traditional music and dance forms of Oceania
with particular reference to the beautiful
Hawaiian hula.
In this respect there is often some confusion
as to which comes first, the music or the dance.
In a general sense it is fair to say that the
music, in the absence of any written language,
was one of the primary means by which much of
the cultural heritage of island people was
passed from one generation to the next.
Indeed the origins of traditional music are
generally quite obscure with the music having
been handed down by older folk to the younger
children. Composing traditional music involves
a considerable amount of ritualism and magic.
The composer does not compose the music
himself, but rather the song or songs are given
to the composers in a mythical setting - possibly
in a dream or a trance. The task of the composer
is then to follow the secret methodology that
his/her predecessors had passed on to him/her
to produce a song that is regarded as being
magically blessed.
In addition to traditional forms of music, the
second method of composing songs is one which
involves no magic and results from somebody
wishing to have a song made for him. In this
case, the person tells the story to be told to
the composer who listens intently and full of
concentration. At a later time, the composer
may ask for further information and the person
requesting the song must provide all the needed
details. The most commonly composed songs of this
nature are love songs. These are often about love
for someone you will never see again or a place
that you have left behind.
The most popular ones, however, are about love
between a boy and a girl, a man and a woman or
a husband and a wife.
The Polynesians are natural musicians and the
Samoans are no exception. They love to hear and
sing good music. Robert Louis Stevenson once said
that the Samoans composed a song for every trivial
occasion. . . Song is almost endless. The boatman
sings at the oar, the family at evening worship,
and the workman at his toil. No occasion is too
small for the poets and the musicians; a death, a
visit, the day's news and pleasantries will be set
to rhyme and harmony.
In this context, the dance forms resulting from the
music becomes an exciting visual and artistic
interpretation of this cultural heritage, including
love songs, conveyed by the music. Older style dancing
motions are slow, swaying and interpretive. Chants
and old poems are sung and recited on special
occasions. They are often referred to in speeches
and debates. They are also used to figure the time
of past historical events. The faataupati (clapping
in syncopation dance) is accompanied by ancient
war songs and drums.
Ancient and modern Samoan dances do not
use songs in three-four tempo. Most of the
songs composed for single or group dancers
are in four-four and two-four tempos. Drums
have often been used to accompany the
ancient dancers.
The early Tuvaluans, untouched by western
influences and aspirations, highly valued their
traditional singing and dancing. Apart from
simply providing entertainment, the fakanau
and fakaseasea, which were formerly very
popular form for dance, were composed to
commemorate the reign of an aliki or toa,
or to praise certain outstanding figures for
their skills in canoe building, fishing, house
building or for their wealth or bravery within
the community.
The fakanau which has a tune that is
between speech and singing was performed
while dancers are standing on their feet.
The rhythm of the fakanau is much quicker
than those of the fakaseasea and the present
day fatele. With the arrival of the
missionaries, because of the wide swaying
movements and actions required in the fakanau
were considered to be sexually stimulating,
efforts were made to put an end to this
kind of dancing. At first it was difficult,
but as more and more people came to accept
the new religious beliefs the pastors
became powerful and influential figures
who ultimately dominated the rights of the
aliki. Because of this the fakanau, which
the pastors regarded as evil dancing,
gradually declined until it disappeared
completely.
The fakaseasea is said to be as old as the
fakanau. This type of dancing is still
performed nowadays by elders. Unlike the
fakanau, the fakaseasea is sung much slower
to a lovely tune and has one or two
performers dancing on their feet. Normally
the fakaseasea requires no uniformity of
actions but the performers are free to make
actions which express the meanings of the
words. The survival of the fakaseasea up to
the present time is due to the fact that the
first pastors, fascinated by the lovely tune
and the gentle slow actions of the fakaseasea,
did not do anything to stop people from
performing it. However, in the early days the
unique fakanau did not only play an important
part in social entertainment but also in
worshipping. The faleaitu (house for gods) in
which the people worshipped their gods is
where one could hear different rituals and
fakanau. There were specially composed
fakanau which could convey to the gods the
worshippers' gratitude together with pleas for
mercy. During communal work such as digging
of pulaka pits the women sang and danced on
the banks while the men were busy digging.
In this way singing and dancing encouraged the
men and stopped them from getting tired easily.
Robert Louis Stevenson also wrote of Kiribati
Mwaie (Ruoia) that was performed on Butaritari:
"Of all they call dance in the Pacific, the
performance I saw on Butaritari was easily the
best...Gilbertese dance appeals to the soul: it
makes one thrill with emotion, it uplifts one, it
conquers one: it has the essence of all great art:
an immediate and far from exhausted appeal".
In Hawaii, traditional chants fall into two broad
categories referred to as mele oli and mele hula.
Before the arrival of Europeans in Hawai'i, the
term mele was used to mean "poetic language;"
it has since evolved to mean song. In early
Hawai'i, there was no melodic singing. Special
bards, or haku mele, spent years learning to
compose, recite and teach others to perform
the ancient chants, beginning their training
while still children.
Mele oli are chants unaccompanied by any
instrument that are generally performed by
one individual; while mele hula are chants
accompanied by dance or by dance and
musical instruments. Mele hula are often
performed by more than one person. Indeed,
there are dozens of kinds of chants, formal
and informal for specific occasions: mele pule
or prayer chants; mele inoa, an individual's
name chant; mele koihonua, which recounts
a person's genealogy; mele he'e nalu, a surfing
chant. There were chants of angst, chants to
grumble or praise, chants of affection, chants
to make a request of someone.
The power (mana) of a chant, lies in its
hidden meanings, or kaona. Hidden meanings,
such as rain as a metaphor for love, could
make a chant both a recounting of an actual
event within a family's history, or it could
tell of the love and passion that one person
might feel for another, depending on who
heard and understood the chant.
As the missionary influence became stronger
in the islands and the use of the Hawaiian
language was forbidden in public schools
in 1896, the art of chanting diminished and
indeed, many of the old chants have sadly
been lost forever. Fortunately, in the last
decade, a renaissance of pride in the
Hawaiian culture and the rebirth of the
Hawaiian language through immersion
classes for youngsters have brought
about a revival of chanting.
Unfortunately, in Hawaii, as in much of the
Pacific, the missionaries also did their best
to destroy the native dance forms, and, in
particular, the "lewd and lascivious Hawaii
hula". But they wrote detailed accounts of
the dances in their diaries, and these,
ironically, have provided a basis for the
current revival of the ancient and beautiful
hula.
In this context it is certainly pleasing to
see that Kulia i ka Punawai--Kumu Hula
Association of Southern California (a
non-profit organization of kumu hula--master
hula instructors--dedicated to perpetuation
of hula) has produced a new and exciting CD .
Titled "Kalakaua," the CD presents
contemporary settings of historical poetic
repertoire that honours Hawai'i's King David
Kalakaua. The centrepiece is a set of 15 mele
composed for Kalakaua's Birthday Jubilee in
1886, and published in the Hawaiian-language
newspapers. The CD contains the work of
some twelve award-winning kumu hula who
live and teach throughout Southern California.
Every one of the 15 mele is by a different
kumu hula, and the finale of the set, as well
as one other track on the CD, are mass numbers
in which all kumu hula participated. All texts
and translations are included with the CD, as
well as a historical essay. The CD should be
available through Amazon.com and also even
iTunes. In the mean time you are invited to
visit Punawai's temporary website at
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/punawai
It is certainly worth mentioning that this project
represents unprecedented collaborative effort
of hula practice and scholarly research. The
scale of historical reconstruction exceeds
anything undertaken to date. The results are
indeed a remarkable testament to the strength
and depth of the tradition of the magnificent
Hawaii hula in the 21st century.
That's all for now. I wish you all a wonderful
and prosperous day.
For further information, please check my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
It will be my great pleasure to be able to spend
a little time discussing the relationship between
the traditional music and dance forms of Oceania
with particular reference to the beautiful
Hawaiian hula.
In this respect there is often some confusion
as to which comes first, the music or the dance.
In a general sense it is fair to say that the
music, in the absence of any written language,
was one of the primary means by which much of
the cultural heritage of island people was
passed from one generation to the next.
Indeed the origins of traditional music are
generally quite obscure with the music having
been handed down by older folk to the younger
children. Composing traditional music involves
a considerable amount of ritualism and magic.
The composer does not compose the music
himself, but rather the song or songs are given
to the composers in a mythical setting - possibly
in a dream or a trance. The task of the composer
is then to follow the secret methodology that
his/her predecessors had passed on to him/her
to produce a song that is regarded as being
magically blessed.
In addition to traditional forms of music, the
second method of composing songs is one which
involves no magic and results from somebody
wishing to have a song made for him. In this
case, the person tells the story to be told to
the composer who listens intently and full of
concentration. At a later time, the composer
may ask for further information and the person
requesting the song must provide all the needed
details. The most commonly composed songs of this
nature are love songs. These are often about love
for someone you will never see again or a place
that you have left behind.
The most popular ones, however, are about love
between a boy and a girl, a man and a woman or
a husband and a wife.
The Polynesians are natural musicians and the
Samoans are no exception. They love to hear and
sing good music. Robert Louis Stevenson once said
that the Samoans composed a song for every trivial
occasion. . . Song is almost endless. The boatman
sings at the oar, the family at evening worship,
and the workman at his toil. No occasion is too
small for the poets and the musicians; a death, a
visit, the day's news and pleasantries will be set
to rhyme and harmony.
In this context, the dance forms resulting from the
music becomes an exciting visual and artistic
interpretation of this cultural heritage, including
love songs, conveyed by the music. Older style dancing
motions are slow, swaying and interpretive. Chants
and old poems are sung and recited on special
occasions. They are often referred to in speeches
and debates. They are also used to figure the time
of past historical events. The faataupati (clapping
in syncopation dance) is accompanied by ancient
war songs and drums.
Ancient and modern Samoan dances do not
use songs in three-four tempo. Most of the
songs composed for single or group dancers
are in four-four and two-four tempos. Drums
have often been used to accompany the
ancient dancers.
The early Tuvaluans, untouched by western
influences and aspirations, highly valued their
traditional singing and dancing. Apart from
simply providing entertainment, the fakanau
and fakaseasea, which were formerly very
popular form for dance, were composed to
commemorate the reign of an aliki or toa,
or to praise certain outstanding figures for
their skills in canoe building, fishing, house
building or for their wealth or bravery within
the community.
The fakanau which has a tune that is
between speech and singing was performed
while dancers are standing on their feet.
The rhythm of the fakanau is much quicker
than those of the fakaseasea and the present
day fatele. With the arrival of the
missionaries, because of the wide swaying
movements and actions required in the fakanau
were considered to be sexually stimulating,
efforts were made to put an end to this
kind of dancing. At first it was difficult,
but as more and more people came to accept
the new religious beliefs the pastors
became powerful and influential figures
who ultimately dominated the rights of the
aliki. Because of this the fakanau, which
the pastors regarded as evil dancing,
gradually declined until it disappeared
completely.
The fakaseasea is said to be as old as the
fakanau. This type of dancing is still
performed nowadays by elders. Unlike the
fakanau, the fakaseasea is sung much slower
to a lovely tune and has one or two
performers dancing on their feet. Normally
the fakaseasea requires no uniformity of
actions but the performers are free to make
actions which express the meanings of the
words. The survival of the fakaseasea up to
the present time is due to the fact that the
first pastors, fascinated by the lovely tune
and the gentle slow actions of the fakaseasea,
did not do anything to stop people from
performing it. However, in the early days the
unique fakanau did not only play an important
part in social entertainment but also in
worshipping. The faleaitu (house for gods) in
which the people worshipped their gods is
where one could hear different rituals and
fakanau. There were specially composed
fakanau which could convey to the gods the
worshippers' gratitude together with pleas for
mercy. During communal work such as digging
of pulaka pits the women sang and danced on
the banks while the men were busy digging.
In this way singing and dancing encouraged the
men and stopped them from getting tired easily.
Robert Louis Stevenson also wrote of Kiribati
Mwaie (Ruoia) that was performed on Butaritari:
"Of all they call dance in the Pacific, the
performance I saw on Butaritari was easily the
best...Gilbertese dance appeals to the soul: it
makes one thrill with emotion, it uplifts one, it
conquers one: it has the essence of all great art:
an immediate and far from exhausted appeal".
In Hawaii, traditional chants fall into two broad
categories referred to as mele oli and mele hula.
Before the arrival of Europeans in Hawai'i, the
term mele was used to mean "poetic language;"
it has since evolved to mean song. In early
Hawai'i, there was no melodic singing. Special
bards, or haku mele, spent years learning to
compose, recite and teach others to perform
the ancient chants, beginning their training
while still children.
Mele oli are chants unaccompanied by any
instrument that are generally performed by
one individual; while mele hula are chants
accompanied by dance or by dance and
musical instruments. Mele hula are often
performed by more than one person. Indeed,
there are dozens of kinds of chants, formal
and informal for specific occasions: mele pule
or prayer chants; mele inoa, an individual's
name chant; mele koihonua, which recounts
a person's genealogy; mele he'e nalu, a surfing
chant. There were chants of angst, chants to
grumble or praise, chants of affection, chants
to make a request of someone.
The power (mana) of a chant, lies in its
hidden meanings, or kaona. Hidden meanings,
such as rain as a metaphor for love, could
make a chant both a recounting of an actual
event within a family's history, or it could
tell of the love and passion that one person
might feel for another, depending on who
heard and understood the chant.
As the missionary influence became stronger
in the islands and the use of the Hawaiian
language was forbidden in public schools
in 1896, the art of chanting diminished and
indeed, many of the old chants have sadly
been lost forever. Fortunately, in the last
decade, a renaissance of pride in the
Hawaiian culture and the rebirth of the
Hawaiian language through immersion
classes for youngsters have brought
about a revival of chanting.
Unfortunately, in Hawaii, as in much of the
Pacific, the missionaries also did their best
to destroy the native dance forms, and, in
particular, the "lewd and lascivious Hawaii
hula". But they wrote detailed accounts of
the dances in their diaries, and these,
ironically, have provided a basis for the
current revival of the ancient and beautiful
hula.
In this context it is certainly pleasing to
see that Kulia i ka Punawai--Kumu Hula
Association of Southern California (a
non-profit organization of kumu hula--master
hula instructors--dedicated to perpetuation
of hula) has produced a new and exciting CD .
Titled "Kalakaua," the CD presents
contemporary settings of historical poetic
repertoire that honours Hawai'i's King David
Kalakaua. The centrepiece is a set of 15 mele
composed for Kalakaua's Birthday Jubilee in
1886, and published in the Hawaiian-language
newspapers. The CD contains the work of
some twelve award-winning kumu hula who
live and teach throughout Southern California.
Every one of the 15 mele is by a different
kumu hula, and the finale of the set, as well
as one other track on the CD, are mass numbers
in which all kumu hula participated. All texts
and translations are included with the CD, as
well as a historical essay. The CD should be
available through Amazon.com and also even
iTunes. In the mean time you are invited to
visit Punawai's temporary website at
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/punawai
It is certainly worth mentioning that this project
represents unprecedented collaborative effort
of hula practice and scholarly research. The
scale of historical reconstruction exceeds
anything undertaken to date. The results are
indeed a remarkable testament to the strength
and depth of the tradition of the magnificent
Hawaii hula in the 21st century.
That's all for now. I wish you all a wonderful
and prosperous day.
For further information, please check my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
The Music Of The New Zealand Maori
Welcome Everybody!
I would like to talk a little about the
music and, in particular, the traditional
music of the New Zealand Maori.
Certainly, the music of the New Zealand
Maori, ranging from diva Dame Kiri Te
Kanawa to traditional choirs and popular
music stars, have gained an appreciative
worldwide audience.
The New Zealand Maori are, of course,
Polynesian, and have lived in New
Zealand ever since approximately the
eleventh century A.D. They refer to their
homeland as Aotearoa, The Land of the
Long White Cloud. In terms of the origins
of the Maori, modern evidence, including
DNA analysis, confirms the opinion that
modern man, in the form of Homo sapiens,
first came out of Africa as early as 160,000
years ago. Of the pioneers who moved
across Asia, one group moved south-east
down through the Indo-Malaysian archipelago,
crossing over into Australia during a brief
window of opportunity 65,000 years ago
when water levels dropped. They also
reached Papua, also possibly as early as
65,000 years ago, eventually moving from
there across the Pacific.
Archaeologists believe that Polynesian people
came from a small central group that spoke the
Austronesian language on the island of Taiwan.
Genetic studies have also now indicated that
the ancestors of this group were the sailors
of the great canoes who started out on their
journey further back along the trail in eastern
Indonesia.
Researchers in New Zealand have also recently
concluded that the male and female ancestors
of Maori people came from different places.
The team, from Victoria University in Wellington,
New Zealand, have found that Maori women
have genetic markers that suggest their ancestors
came from mainland South-east Asia, probably
about 6,000 years ago. As they travelled south
from island to island, it appears that Melanesian
men joined the men and women on the boat,
with a small group of people eventually arriving
in New Zealand via the Polynesian triangle,
about 1,000 years ago.
Indeed, the word Polynesia, which means many
islands, comes from the Greek words 'poly'
which means 'many' and 'nesos' which means
'island'. Polynesia stretches in a huge triangle
from New Zealand in the southwest to Easter
Island, 8,000 kilometres away in the southeast
and up to Hawaii at its northern point. The
Polynesian people are lighter skinned and are
generally taller than the Melanesian and
Micronesian people.
The Maori view of creation in which all nature
was seen as a great kinship tracing its origins
back to a single pair, the Sky Father and the
Earth Mother, was a conception which they
brought with them when they came from
Central Polynesia about 1,000 A.D.
Furthermore, this belief in a primal pair, as
well as the metaphysical idea of an original
Void or Darkness, seems to be part of the
stock of ideas which the ancestors of the
Polynesians brought with them from the
west, from the Asian mainland, and which
they carried with them as they dispersed
into marginal Polynesia. The resultant shift
in names and attributes, and the elaboration
of themes which occurred throughout the
area certainly cannot obscure this underlying
unity of ideas.
The name 'Maori' is derived from Ma-Uri,
which means 'Children of Heaven'. Their
nickname is 'Vikings of the Sunrise', because
they are fierce warriors. Originally, they were
hunters, but soon became peasants, living off
agriculture. Today, approximately 300.000
Maori are mainly living in the cities, but they
remain closely connected to their tribes. Their
tribal groupings are derived from the people
of each canoe, settling New Zealand in the
early times.
Traditional Maori villages are fortified with
an open space in the centre, called the 'marae',
on which the meeting house or 'whare hui' is
located. This building represents the symbolic
body of the ancestor. Around the fort sites,
a palisade with watch tower is built. In these
watch towers are suspended alarm gongs
comprising huge wooden plates referred to
as 'pahu'.
The Maori religion is closely related to nature
and to the ancestors. Nature itself is considered
a living being and thus the interaction between
man and nature is bound by prescripts and
rituals. The notion 'tapu' (sacred), from which
the word 'tabu' is deduced, is still a central
notion in contemporary Maori society.
Tiki are anthropomorphic ornaments representing
spiritual beings. Many times they have some kind
of deformation, like only 3 fingers and they can
be both positive and negative towards mankind.
Much of the Maori religion remains intact and many
rituals associated with traditional visual arts and
traditional music are still carried out with strong
ties between songs and magic still remaining.
Traditional Maori music, in the main, only used
aerophones and idiophones to support the vocals.
Aerophones were mainly of the following types.
Koauau, which can be made out of different
materials: wood or even a human bone. It is a
straight blown flute, blown under an angle, 12 to
15 cm long and with a bore of 1 to 2 cm. When
the instrument isn't played, it's worn around the
neck. It has 3 finger holes.
Porutu is a flute similar to the koauau but
longer: it measures between 30 and 40 cm.
There is doubt about wether it is an original
Maori instrument or an imitation of the western
flute. Nguru is a small instrument (8 to 10 cm).
It is curved at one end, because originally this
flute was made out of a whale tooth. It can also
be made out of wood, stone, clay. It has one
open end like the koauau and one small
opening at the curved end. It has 2 to 4 finger
holes.
Whio is a bone flute made out of an albatross
bone. The instrument is 15 cm long, has a
diameter of 1.5 cm and 4 finger holes. The
instrument was played by men in order to
attract the attention of women they longed for.
Puukaaea is a wooden war trumpet, made out
of two pieces of wood cut lengthwise and
hollowed out. Both pieces are again assembled
and kept in place by fibres or ropes. The length
varies between 1m and 2,5 meter. At one side
there is a sculptured wooden mouthpiece and
the other side of the instrument is broader
and resembles an open mouth. Inside tohu are
sculptures, representing the human tonsils and
uvula. The puukaaea could be used during the
war as a megaphone or as an alarm instrument.
Puutoorino, which is often referred to as a
bugle-flute instead of trumpet, because the
instrument could also be used as a flute, but
originally it was a trumpet. It is about 30 to
60 cm long and is made as the puukaaea out
of two pieces of wood, but here widest in the
middle and more narrow at both end sides.
In the middle are sound holes, mostly in the
shape of an eight, are made as the open
mouth of a sculptured face. Near the
mouthpiece, another face is carved, or a
tiki (men/spirit) or a manaia (men/bird). The
player placed his hand over the sound hole
in order to change the tones of the instrument.
Originally, this instrument was mainly used to
announce the coming and arrival of a tribal
chief.
Teetere are flax trumpets simply made by
winding a leaf to a horn shape. It was
probably a children's toy, but could also be
used to announce one's arrival in the village.
Non-blown aerophones include the
Puurorohuu which is a bullroarer made out
of a piece of wood. By swinging the bullroarer
around, a roaring sound is produced which it
was thought would bring rain. The idiophone
used comprised the following. Pahuu are
wooden gongs: flat slabs of resonant wood,
which were horizontally suspended above a
platform in the watch tower of the palisade
around the fortified village. It was hit in
case of danger, but also used to call the men
to go to war.Some tribes, living in the woods,
carved their war pahuu out of a hollow tree.
The wooden slab was sometimes cut away
and separated from the tree or sometimes it
remained a fixed part of the tree.
Paakuru is an instrument, which is held
between the teeth of the player, can be
compared to a jew's-harp. It comprised a
simple piece of wood of 40 to 50 cm long,
2 to 5 cm broad and 1 cm thick, struck by
a little wooden stick. The sound is changed
by the position of the mouth and the
movements of the lips. Nowadays, the
paakuru knows a revival as a whalebone
paakuru. Rooria are similar to paakuru, but
smaller: only 7 to 10 cm long. Maori lovers
use it for intimate conversations. Finally,
Tokere are whalebones used as clappers.
The traditional vocal music can be divided
in two categories: the recitatives and the
songs. The recitatives have no fixed pitch
organisation and the tempo is much higher
than the song's tempo. Among the recitatives
is a welcome ceremony known as Powhiri.
This welcome ceremony is a mixed form.
Men shout fiercely, whilst women sing in a
melodic way. The Powhiri often starts with
the men standing in front of the women. The
men make clear they are ready for a battle
by shouting, menacing with their weapons
and grimacing. After a while, the women
gently come to the front, singing and carrying
green leaves. The men kneeled down on one
knee and put their weapons on the floor.
Most of the time a Powhiri ends with a haka
(men song) without weapons.
Haka are shouted speeches by men, combined
with a fierce dance. Haka Taparahi are
performed without weapons and they can give
expression to different emotions depending
on the situation for which they are performed.
Haka Peruperu are performed with weapons
and associated with war dances.
Another form of recitative is known as Ngeri
and is used to annihilate any form of tapu.
Other forms of recitatives are Karakia which
are quick incantations and spells.They are used
during daily life by both adults and children, but
also during rituals. The ritual karakia is difficult
and dangerous to execute, because a mistake
during the performance will attract bad luck,
illness and even the death of the reciter. For
very important karakia, two priest reciters
are needed in order to alternate the breathing
pause, because even the slightest moment of
silence could result into disaster. Paatere are
mainly performed in group and composed by
women in answer to gossip. The texts of
paatere consist merely out of summing up
of the kinship connections of the author.
Kaioraora are like paatere answers to
gossip but with a rude, offensive text
The second form of traditional music are
Songs and the Sung Poetry, also called Nga
Moteatea, which often consist mainly of
laments, but sometimes also consist of love
songs and lullabies. Traditionally, sung
poetry of this form was accompanied by a
koauau flute.
Traditional songs comprise the following
forms: Poi, which are songs accompanied
by a form of dance in which women hit their
body rhythmically with one or two mainly
cotton balls attached to the end of a string.
Oriori, which are songs composed to teach
children of high rank about their special
descent and history.Pao are songs originating
out of a kind of instant-composing: the
composer sings the first couplet and is then
repeated by the chorus, and so on. These
are songs of local interest. They can be
funny or serious.Waiata is the most common
category of Maori songs and comprise
laments about different topics. Traditionally,
waiata are sung in groups and in unisono.
Waiata tangi are laments for the dead. The
word 'tangi' means 'weeping'. This form is
mainly composed by women. During burial
ceremonies, women were expected to show
signs of deep grief, for example, by
wounding their faces with sharp stones.
Sometimes, these waiata were very personal,
telling about the composer's emotions and
feelings towards the dead. When composed
by men, the waiata tangi can also instruct us
about the warrior qualities of the dead person.
They can also, for example, allude to most of
the calamities that can befall mankind.
Finally, waiata ahore are love songs, and
waiata whaiaaipo are songs for the beloved
one. They are often still laments and tell
us about all the misery that a love affair
can provoke.
There is little doubt that Maori music, like
that of other Pacific Islanders, has changed
under the influence of western culture. In
this respect, it is most pleasing to see, next
to the commercialisation, a strong revival of
the traditional Maori music, along with a
growing pride in the beautiful traditional
Maori culture.
FEATURE ARTIST
PAPUA NEW GUINEA STRINGBANDS
Papua New Guinea Stringbands CD Songs
Of The Volcano is a fascinating, raw and
unique sound from five villages in East New
Britain with five different Tolai stringbands..
Papua New Guinea is home to a huge
indigenous population speaking more than
800 languages, it laid largely undiscovered
until the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries, and hence is one of the last
places on the planet to have guitars arrive
from afar. Rabaul, in Papua New Guinea's
far flung province of East New Britain, is a
town which has had its share of hard times.
In the same century, it has been destroyed
twice by massive volcanic cataclysms and
once by a devastating war imposed on it
by outsiders. The Tolai people of Rabaul
have suffered greatly from these natural
and manmade disasters and yet, somehow,
have always managed to bounce back and
keep their spirits high. One of the main
contributing factors to their capacity for
optimism is their music, an energetic and
unique blend of voices and instruments
performed by the community's local
stringbands.
The music carries a fragile innocence
and beauty reminiscent of what guitar
music may have sounded like, in Hawaii
in 1860, or Mexico in 1830. Most music
travelled throughout the Pacific Ocean
on boats, with sailors leaving behind
instruments and ideas to then percolate
in isolation. Hence, the music on this
album will seem at once exotic, yet
somehow familiar.Even today, there is
still very little mass media penetration
in Papua New Guinea, though that is
changing, and thus makes the
preservation of the traditional music
even more necessary. Material from
this CD is being proudly featured on
our Pacific Islands Radio, and it is
highly recommended for those who
enjoy vibrant and compelling guitar
music performed from the heart.
That's all for now my friends. I wish
you a wonderful day with a prosperous
and happy weekend. See you all later.
For further information, please check out my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
I would like to talk a little about the
music and, in particular, the traditional
music of the New Zealand Maori.
Certainly, the music of the New Zealand
Maori, ranging from diva Dame Kiri Te
Kanawa to traditional choirs and popular
music stars, have gained an appreciative
worldwide audience.
The New Zealand Maori are, of course,
Polynesian, and have lived in New
Zealand ever since approximately the
eleventh century A.D. They refer to their
homeland as Aotearoa, The Land of the
Long White Cloud. In terms of the origins
of the Maori, modern evidence, including
DNA analysis, confirms the opinion that
modern man, in the form of Homo sapiens,
first came out of Africa as early as 160,000
years ago. Of the pioneers who moved
across Asia, one group moved south-east
down through the Indo-Malaysian archipelago,
crossing over into Australia during a brief
window of opportunity 65,000 years ago
when water levels dropped. They also
reached Papua, also possibly as early as
65,000 years ago, eventually moving from
there across the Pacific.
Archaeologists believe that Polynesian people
came from a small central group that spoke the
Austronesian language on the island of Taiwan.
Genetic studies have also now indicated that
the ancestors of this group were the sailors
of the great canoes who started out on their
journey further back along the trail in eastern
Indonesia.
Researchers in New Zealand have also recently
concluded that the male and female ancestors
of Maori people came from different places.
The team, from Victoria University in Wellington,
New Zealand, have found that Maori women
have genetic markers that suggest their ancestors
came from mainland South-east Asia, probably
about 6,000 years ago. As they travelled south
from island to island, it appears that Melanesian
men joined the men and women on the boat,
with a small group of people eventually arriving
in New Zealand via the Polynesian triangle,
about 1,000 years ago.
Indeed, the word Polynesia, which means many
islands, comes from the Greek words 'poly'
which means 'many' and 'nesos' which means
'island'. Polynesia stretches in a huge triangle
from New Zealand in the southwest to Easter
Island, 8,000 kilometres away in the southeast
and up to Hawaii at its northern point. The
Polynesian people are lighter skinned and are
generally taller than the Melanesian and
Micronesian people.
The Maori view of creation in which all nature
was seen as a great kinship tracing its origins
back to a single pair, the Sky Father and the
Earth Mother, was a conception which they
brought with them when they came from
Central Polynesia about 1,000 A.D.
Furthermore, this belief in a primal pair, as
well as the metaphysical idea of an original
Void or Darkness, seems to be part of the
stock of ideas which the ancestors of the
Polynesians brought with them from the
west, from the Asian mainland, and which
they carried with them as they dispersed
into marginal Polynesia. The resultant shift
in names and attributes, and the elaboration
of themes which occurred throughout the
area certainly cannot obscure this underlying
unity of ideas.
The name 'Maori' is derived from Ma-Uri,
which means 'Children of Heaven'. Their
nickname is 'Vikings of the Sunrise', because
they are fierce warriors. Originally, they were
hunters, but soon became peasants, living off
agriculture. Today, approximately 300.000
Maori are mainly living in the cities, but they
remain closely connected to their tribes. Their
tribal groupings are derived from the people
of each canoe, settling New Zealand in the
early times.
Traditional Maori villages are fortified with
an open space in the centre, called the 'marae',
on which the meeting house or 'whare hui' is
located. This building represents the symbolic
body of the ancestor. Around the fort sites,
a palisade with watch tower is built. In these
watch towers are suspended alarm gongs
comprising huge wooden plates referred to
as 'pahu'.
The Maori religion is closely related to nature
and to the ancestors. Nature itself is considered
a living being and thus the interaction between
man and nature is bound by prescripts and
rituals. The notion 'tapu' (sacred), from which
the word 'tabu' is deduced, is still a central
notion in contemporary Maori society.
Tiki are anthropomorphic ornaments representing
spiritual beings. Many times they have some kind
of deformation, like only 3 fingers and they can
be both positive and negative towards mankind.
Much of the Maori religion remains intact and many
rituals associated with traditional visual arts and
traditional music are still carried out with strong
ties between songs and magic still remaining.
Traditional Maori music, in the main, only used
aerophones and idiophones to support the vocals.
Aerophones were mainly of the following types.
Koauau, which can be made out of different
materials: wood or even a human bone. It is a
straight blown flute, blown under an angle, 12 to
15 cm long and with a bore of 1 to 2 cm. When
the instrument isn't played, it's worn around the
neck. It has 3 finger holes.
Porutu is a flute similar to the koauau but
longer: it measures between 30 and 40 cm.
There is doubt about wether it is an original
Maori instrument or an imitation of the western
flute. Nguru is a small instrument (8 to 10 cm).
It is curved at one end, because originally this
flute was made out of a whale tooth. It can also
be made out of wood, stone, clay. It has one
open end like the koauau and one small
opening at the curved end. It has 2 to 4 finger
holes.
Whio is a bone flute made out of an albatross
bone. The instrument is 15 cm long, has a
diameter of 1.5 cm and 4 finger holes. The
instrument was played by men in order to
attract the attention of women they longed for.
Puukaaea is a wooden war trumpet, made out
of two pieces of wood cut lengthwise and
hollowed out. Both pieces are again assembled
and kept in place by fibres or ropes. The length
varies between 1m and 2,5 meter. At one side
there is a sculptured wooden mouthpiece and
the other side of the instrument is broader
and resembles an open mouth. Inside tohu are
sculptures, representing the human tonsils and
uvula. The puukaaea could be used during the
war as a megaphone or as an alarm instrument.
Puutoorino, which is often referred to as a
bugle-flute instead of trumpet, because the
instrument could also be used as a flute, but
originally it was a trumpet. It is about 30 to
60 cm long and is made as the puukaaea out
of two pieces of wood, but here widest in the
middle and more narrow at both end sides.
In the middle are sound holes, mostly in the
shape of an eight, are made as the open
mouth of a sculptured face. Near the
mouthpiece, another face is carved, or a
tiki (men/spirit) or a manaia (men/bird). The
player placed his hand over the sound hole
in order to change the tones of the instrument.
Originally, this instrument was mainly used to
announce the coming and arrival of a tribal
chief.
Teetere are flax trumpets simply made by
winding a leaf to a horn shape. It was
probably a children's toy, but could also be
used to announce one's arrival in the village.
Non-blown aerophones include the
Puurorohuu which is a bullroarer made out
of a piece of wood. By swinging the bullroarer
around, a roaring sound is produced which it
was thought would bring rain. The idiophone
used comprised the following. Pahuu are
wooden gongs: flat slabs of resonant wood,
which were horizontally suspended above a
platform in the watch tower of the palisade
around the fortified village. It was hit in
case of danger, but also used to call the men
to go to war.Some tribes, living in the woods,
carved their war pahuu out of a hollow tree.
The wooden slab was sometimes cut away
and separated from the tree or sometimes it
remained a fixed part of the tree.
Paakuru is an instrument, which is held
between the teeth of the player, can be
compared to a jew's-harp. It comprised a
simple piece of wood of 40 to 50 cm long,
2 to 5 cm broad and 1 cm thick, struck by
a little wooden stick. The sound is changed
by the position of the mouth and the
movements of the lips. Nowadays, the
paakuru knows a revival as a whalebone
paakuru. Rooria are similar to paakuru, but
smaller: only 7 to 10 cm long. Maori lovers
use it for intimate conversations. Finally,
Tokere are whalebones used as clappers.
The traditional vocal music can be divided
in two categories: the recitatives and the
songs. The recitatives have no fixed pitch
organisation and the tempo is much higher
than the song's tempo. Among the recitatives
is a welcome ceremony known as Powhiri.
This welcome ceremony is a mixed form.
Men shout fiercely, whilst women sing in a
melodic way. The Powhiri often starts with
the men standing in front of the women. The
men make clear they are ready for a battle
by shouting, menacing with their weapons
and grimacing. After a while, the women
gently come to the front, singing and carrying
green leaves. The men kneeled down on one
knee and put their weapons on the floor.
Most of the time a Powhiri ends with a haka
(men song) without weapons.
Haka are shouted speeches by men, combined
with a fierce dance. Haka Taparahi are
performed without weapons and they can give
expression to different emotions depending
on the situation for which they are performed.
Haka Peruperu are performed with weapons
and associated with war dances.
Another form of recitative is known as Ngeri
and is used to annihilate any form of tapu.
Other forms of recitatives are Karakia which
are quick incantations and spells.They are used
during daily life by both adults and children, but
also during rituals. The ritual karakia is difficult
and dangerous to execute, because a mistake
during the performance will attract bad luck,
illness and even the death of the reciter. For
very important karakia, two priest reciters
are needed in order to alternate the breathing
pause, because even the slightest moment of
silence could result into disaster. Paatere are
mainly performed in group and composed by
women in answer to gossip. The texts of
paatere consist merely out of summing up
of the kinship connections of the author.
Kaioraora are like paatere answers to
gossip but with a rude, offensive text
The second form of traditional music are
Songs and the Sung Poetry, also called Nga
Moteatea, which often consist mainly of
laments, but sometimes also consist of love
songs and lullabies. Traditionally, sung
poetry of this form was accompanied by a
koauau flute.
Traditional songs comprise the following
forms: Poi, which are songs accompanied
by a form of dance in which women hit their
body rhythmically with one or two mainly
cotton balls attached to the end of a string.
Oriori, which are songs composed to teach
children of high rank about their special
descent and history.Pao are songs originating
out of a kind of instant-composing: the
composer sings the first couplet and is then
repeated by the chorus, and so on. These
are songs of local interest. They can be
funny or serious.Waiata is the most common
category of Maori songs and comprise
laments about different topics. Traditionally,
waiata are sung in groups and in unisono.
Waiata tangi are laments for the dead. The
word 'tangi' means 'weeping'. This form is
mainly composed by women. During burial
ceremonies, women were expected to show
signs of deep grief, for example, by
wounding their faces with sharp stones.
Sometimes, these waiata were very personal,
telling about the composer's emotions and
feelings towards the dead. When composed
by men, the waiata tangi can also instruct us
about the warrior qualities of the dead person.
They can also, for example, allude to most of
the calamities that can befall mankind.
Finally, waiata ahore are love songs, and
waiata whaiaaipo are songs for the beloved
one. They are often still laments and tell
us about all the misery that a love affair
can provoke.
There is little doubt that Maori music, like
that of other Pacific Islanders, has changed
under the influence of western culture. In
this respect, it is most pleasing to see, next
to the commercialisation, a strong revival of
the traditional Maori music, along with a
growing pride in the beautiful traditional
Maori culture.
FEATURE ARTIST
PAPUA NEW GUINEA STRINGBANDS
Papua New Guinea Stringbands CD Songs
Of The Volcano is a fascinating, raw and
unique sound from five villages in East New
Britain with five different Tolai stringbands..
Papua New Guinea is home to a huge
indigenous population speaking more than
800 languages, it laid largely undiscovered
until the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries, and hence is one of the last
places on the planet to have guitars arrive
from afar. Rabaul, in Papua New Guinea's
far flung province of East New Britain, is a
town which has had its share of hard times.
In the same century, it has been destroyed
twice by massive volcanic cataclysms and
once by a devastating war imposed on it
by outsiders. The Tolai people of Rabaul
have suffered greatly from these natural
and manmade disasters and yet, somehow,
have always managed to bounce back and
keep their spirits high. One of the main
contributing factors to their capacity for
optimism is their music, an energetic and
unique blend of voices and instruments
performed by the community's local
stringbands.
The music carries a fragile innocence
and beauty reminiscent of what guitar
music may have sounded like, in Hawaii
in 1860, or Mexico in 1830. Most music
travelled throughout the Pacific Ocean
on boats, with sailors leaving behind
instruments and ideas to then percolate
in isolation. Hence, the music on this
album will seem at once exotic, yet
somehow familiar.Even today, there is
still very little mass media penetration
in Papua New Guinea, though that is
changing, and thus makes the
preservation of the traditional music
even more necessary. Material from
this CD is being proudly featured on
our Pacific Islands Radio, and it is
highly recommended for those who
enjoy vibrant and compelling guitar
music performed from the heart.
That's all for now my friends. I wish
you a wonderful day with a prosperous
and happy weekend. See you all later.
For further information, please check out my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Some Interesting Melanesian And Aboriginal Music
Welcome Everybody!
I would like to share with you some thoughts
on the traditional and modern music, as well
as dance forms of New Caledonia. As you well
know, New Caledonia is a multi-cultural society,
the original inhabitants are Melanesians with
links to Papuans and Australian Aborigines,
and they often refer to themselves as
'Ti-Va-Ouere', or 'Brothers of the Earth'.
There are an estimated 27 Kanak languages
coexisting in New Caledonia. However, after
being actively discouraged - or at least ignored -
by the French, there is no single unifying
Kanak language. The clan, not the individual,
was the most important element of traditional
Kanak culture, and la coûtume, a code
encompassing rites, rituals and social interaction
between the clans, is the essential component
of Kanak identity today. It also maintains a
crucial link with the individual's ancestors.
The later inhabitants are often referred to as
'Caldoches', or 'White New Caledonians', are
mostly descended from French convicts and have
forged their own culture, more akin to that of
rural Australians or rural Americans than the
metropolitan French.
As mentioned above, the indigenous Melanesian
inhabitants of New Caledonia are the Kanak
(formerly also 'Canaque'), and comprise 45% of
the total population of New. Caledonia. The word
is derived from kanaka maoli, a Hawaiian word
which was, at one time, applied indiscriminately by
European explorers, traders and missionaries in the
region to any non-European Pacific islander. Prior
to European contact, there was no unified state in
New Caledonia, and no single self-appellation used
to refer to its inhabitants.
Other words have been coined from Kanak in the
past few generations: Kanaky is an ethno-political
name for the island or the entire territory. Kanéka
is a musical genre associated with the Kanak,
stylistically a form of reggae with added flutes,
percussion and harmonies. Kaneka often has
political lyrics and is sung in Drehu, Paici or
other Melanesian languages, or in French. Kanakas
were Pacific islanders (not just Melanesians) who
were abducted to Australia, Chile or Canada to
perform forced labour during the 19th century.
The German racial epithet Kanake (now applied
to all non-whites, or even southern Europeans,
but originally to Oceanians) also derives from
the name.
For the Melanesian people of New Caledonia,
music-making was an important element of
traditional ceremonies such as initiation,
courting or the end of mourning, and always
accompanied dance and song. Sometimes instruments
were played simply for the clan's entertainment.
Above all, however, Kanak music is vocal. There
are no Kanak words for music or musical instrument.
Rather their terminology is more appropriately
translated as 'sound-producing' instruments, the
classing example being the conch shell, which,
when blown, represents the call of the chief or
the voice of an ancestor. Many instruments were
made for a specific occasion, and include rhythm
instruments and bamboo flutes.
Other traditional instruments used in ancient
Kanak culture were:
Jews-harp (wadohnu in the Nengone language
where it originated) made from a dried piece of
coconut palm leaf held between the teeth and an
attached segment of soft nerve leaf. When the
harp is struck, the musician's mouth acts as an
amplifying chamber, producing a soft, low sound.
Coconut-leaf whizzer (maguk-in Pije): a piece
of coconut leaf attached to a string and twirled,
producing a noise like a humming bee.
Oboe: made from hollow grass stems or bamboo.
End-blown flute: made from a 50cm-long hollowed
pawpaw leaf stem. The pitch varies depending on
the position of the lips and how forcefully the
air is blown through the flute.
Bamboo stamping tubes: struck vertically against
the ground and played at main events.
Percussion instruments: These included hitting
sticks, palm sheaths that were strummed to hit,
and clappers made from a hard bark filled with
dried grass and soft niaouli bark, tied together
and hit against each other.
Rattles: worn around the legs and made from
coconut leaves, shells and certain fruits. Conch
or Triton's shell: used like a trumpet on special
occasions and played by a special appointee.
The Kanaks have developed dance into a high art
form. The traditional pilou dance tells the stories of
births, marriages, cyclones or preparations for battle,
although colonial authorities banned pilous in 1951
for the high-energy and trance-like state they induced
in the dancers.
Most contemporary Kanak music is labelled 'Kaneka',
a musical concept that incorporated both current
techniques and Kanak heritage that blended modern
instruments with ancestral harmonies and rhythms, and
married traditional stories and legends with lyrics that
call for an end to repression. Most songs are sung in
Kanak languages. Sadly, much of the traditional music
of New Caledonia has been forgotten, and there is only
a limited number of musical expressions from which the
young musicians can take their ideas. The most evident
link between kaneka and their grandfathers' music is
the use of traditional percussion instruments.
However, how percussion instruments accompany
traditional singing and how they accompany kaneka
music can show important differences. Perhaps the
typical Melanesian element in kaneka lies not in
the music itself but in the way the musicians treat
kaneka as a cultural and political movement.
Immensely popular with young people throughout
the country, Kaneka's chief exponents are bands
such as Mexem (from Lifou), Gurejele (Mare) and
Vamaley (Voh). A contemporary Kanak group that's
big with teenagers is OK! Ryos, a young trio from
Mare headed by Edouard Wamejo.The most well-
known modern record label on New Caledonia is
Alain Lecante's Mangrove Studios, which distributes
much of the Kaneka music.
In order to listen to some of the above contemporary
music, you are invited to Jane Resture's Pacific
Islands Radio at: Pacific Islands Radio -
www.pacificislandsradio.com and click on
Jane Resture's flagship station at the following URL:
Pacific Islands Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeresture
On a final note, I would like to mention that Pacific
Islands Radio has always been very proud to feature
the music of Australian Aboriginal group Yothu Yindi,
whose song 'Treaty', a plea for understanding between
black and white Australia, became an International
hit.
Indeed, it was sixteen years ago that lead singer,
Mandawuy Yunupingu, sang his way into the heart of
the nation with this Anthem of his people and, in
1993, he was named Australian of the Year.
Sadly, last January 2007, a now very frail Yunupingu
entered a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. The
man, so many thought of as an inspiration to us all, is
now fighting for his life. Winning the battle for sobriety
is just one of Yunupingu's health challenges. He is also
diabetic and will soon have dialysis treatment for renal
failure. He is a long way from the optimistic voice that
spoke from his warrior's heart, a heart that carried the
hopes of so many Australians, black and white.
The story of Yunupingu is intrinsically tied to the
struggle of his people and his family name is synonymous
with the struggle for Aboriginal land rights.
Yunupingu is well aware that, with substance abuse and
diabetes-related illness killing so many of his people,
this is one battle that he cannot afford to lose - not
only for himself and his family, but also for those who
have been inspired by him and, in particular, through
his music.
If I may, I would like to humbly ask you all to join with
me in extending to this most remarkable man, Mandawuy
Yunupingu, our warmest wishes, along with our loving
thoughts and prayers.
Mandawuy, along with his artistic and talented band,
Yothu Yindi, have certainly provided the inspiration
for a splendid-shared understanding and vision between
indigenous and non-indigenous people, both in Australia
and worldwide.
For a little more information on Australian Aboriginal
music and Mandawuy Yunupingu, you are invited to visit:
http://www.janesoceania.com/australian_aboriginal_music/index1.htm
FEATURE ARTIST
PAUL TAYLOR
Paul Taylor is an acclaimed storyteller and didgeridoo
player who has collaborated with Don Spencer, one
of Australia's most recognized children's performers,
to produce a most interesting album entitled 'Cooee'.
The word 'Cooee' describes a shout used in the Australian
outback mainly to attract attention, find missing people, or
indicate one's own location. When done correctly - loudly
and shrilly - a call of "cooee" can carry over a considerable
distance. Historically, the call began as an Indigenous
Australian custom borrowed from the Aboriginal Dharuk
people, the original inhabitants of the Sydney area, and has
now become widely used in Australia. From the word 'cooee'
an expression "within a cooee of" has developed. It means
"not far from", and its use seems to be mainly confined to
Australia and New Zealand.
As the title of the album suggests, Cooee, Taylor's fourth
album, has a rich and diverse Australian content and
includes songs from the indigenous Australian people
featuring traditional instruments such as the didgeridoo or
yidaki, an ancient Aboriginal musical instrument from the
tropical north of Australia. It is generally a branch of a
tree eaten out by termites.
The album also features the sounds of the Australian bush
along with colonial songs such as Botany Bay and The
Dying Stockman. This album is recommended for those
people who would like a greater understanding of
Australia's musical heritage.
For those people who are interested in traditional Australian
Aboriginal music, it is perhaps worth looking out for an album
entitled 'Bushfire: Traditional Aboriginal Music'.'Bushfire' was
recorded in the Kimberley's in Australia and features some of
the finest musicians of the region. There are two styles of
songs on the album, 'Wongga' and 'Djunba', which are traditional
styles that have been in existence for thousands of years. Each
of the songs have their own stories to tell, from daily happenings
to legends that have been passed down through many generations.
This album is highly recommended for lovers of traditional music.
That's all for now my friends. Today is the end of another busy
week being Friday, may I wish you all a blessed and wonderful
weekend. See you all later.
For further information, please check out my four Domains and associated pages:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
I would like to share with you some thoughts
on the traditional and modern music, as well
as dance forms of New Caledonia. As you well
know, New Caledonia is a multi-cultural society,
the original inhabitants are Melanesians with
links to Papuans and Australian Aborigines,
and they often refer to themselves as
'Ti-Va-Ouere', or 'Brothers of the Earth'.
There are an estimated 27 Kanak languages
coexisting in New Caledonia. However, after
being actively discouraged - or at least ignored -
by the French, there is no single unifying
Kanak language. The clan, not the individual,
was the most important element of traditional
Kanak culture, and la coûtume, a code
encompassing rites, rituals and social interaction
between the clans, is the essential component
of Kanak identity today. It also maintains a
crucial link with the individual's ancestors.
The later inhabitants are often referred to as
'Caldoches', or 'White New Caledonians', are
mostly descended from French convicts and have
forged their own culture, more akin to that of
rural Australians or rural Americans than the
metropolitan French.
As mentioned above, the indigenous Melanesian
inhabitants of New Caledonia are the Kanak
(formerly also 'Canaque'), and comprise 45% of
the total population of New. Caledonia. The word
is derived from kanaka maoli, a Hawaiian word
which was, at one time, applied indiscriminately by
European explorers, traders and missionaries in the
region to any non-European Pacific islander. Prior
to European contact, there was no unified state in
New Caledonia, and no single self-appellation used
to refer to its inhabitants.
Other words have been coined from Kanak in the
past few generations: Kanaky is an ethno-political
name for the island or the entire territory. Kanéka
is a musical genre associated with the Kanak,
stylistically a form of reggae with added flutes,
percussion and harmonies. Kaneka often has
political lyrics and is sung in Drehu, Paici or
other Melanesian languages, or in French. Kanakas
were Pacific islanders (not just Melanesians) who
were abducted to Australia, Chile or Canada to
perform forced labour during the 19th century.
The German racial epithet Kanake (now applied
to all non-whites, or even southern Europeans,
but originally to Oceanians) also derives from
the name.
For the Melanesian people of New Caledonia,
music-making was an important element of
traditional ceremonies such as initiation,
courting or the end of mourning, and always
accompanied dance and song. Sometimes instruments
were played simply for the clan's entertainment.
Above all, however, Kanak music is vocal. There
are no Kanak words for music or musical instrument.
Rather their terminology is more appropriately
translated as 'sound-producing' instruments, the
classing example being the conch shell, which,
when blown, represents the call of the chief or
the voice of an ancestor. Many instruments were
made for a specific occasion, and include rhythm
instruments and bamboo flutes.
Other traditional instruments used in ancient
Kanak culture were:
Jews-harp (wadohnu in the Nengone language
where it originated) made from a dried piece of
coconut palm leaf held between the teeth and an
attached segment of soft nerve leaf. When the
harp is struck, the musician's mouth acts as an
amplifying chamber, producing a soft, low sound.
Coconut-leaf whizzer (maguk-in Pije): a piece
of coconut leaf attached to a string and twirled,
producing a noise like a humming bee.
Oboe: made from hollow grass stems or bamboo.
End-blown flute: made from a 50cm-long hollowed
pawpaw leaf stem. The pitch varies depending on
the position of the lips and how forcefully the
air is blown through the flute.
Bamboo stamping tubes: struck vertically against
the ground and played at main events.
Percussion instruments: These included hitting
sticks, palm sheaths that were strummed to hit,
and clappers made from a hard bark filled with
dried grass and soft niaouli bark, tied together
and hit against each other.
Rattles: worn around the legs and made from
coconut leaves, shells and certain fruits. Conch
or Triton's shell: used like a trumpet on special
occasions and played by a special appointee.
The Kanaks have developed dance into a high art
form. The traditional pilou dance tells the stories of
births, marriages, cyclones or preparations for battle,
although colonial authorities banned pilous in 1951
for the high-energy and trance-like state they induced
in the dancers.
Most contemporary Kanak music is labelled 'Kaneka',
a musical concept that incorporated both current
techniques and Kanak heritage that blended modern
instruments with ancestral harmonies and rhythms, and
married traditional stories and legends with lyrics that
call for an end to repression. Most songs are sung in
Kanak languages. Sadly, much of the traditional music
of New Caledonia has been forgotten, and there is only
a limited number of musical expressions from which the
young musicians can take their ideas. The most evident
link between kaneka and their grandfathers' music is
the use of traditional percussion instruments.
However, how percussion instruments accompany
traditional singing and how they accompany kaneka
music can show important differences. Perhaps the
typical Melanesian element in kaneka lies not in
the music itself but in the way the musicians treat
kaneka as a cultural and political movement.
Immensely popular with young people throughout
the country, Kaneka's chief exponents are bands
such as Mexem (from Lifou), Gurejele (Mare) and
Vamaley (Voh). A contemporary Kanak group that's
big with teenagers is OK! Ryos, a young trio from
Mare headed by Edouard Wamejo.The most well-
known modern record label on New Caledonia is
Alain Lecante's Mangrove Studios, which distributes
much of the Kaneka music.
In order to listen to some of the above contemporary
music, you are invited to Jane Resture's Pacific
Islands Radio at: Pacific Islands Radio -
www.pacificislandsradio.com and click on
Jane Resture's flagship station at the following URL:
Pacific Islands Radio
http://www.live365.com/stations/janeresture
On a final note, I would like to mention that Pacific
Islands Radio has always been very proud to feature
the music of Australian Aboriginal group Yothu Yindi,
whose song 'Treaty', a plea for understanding between
black and white Australia, became an International
hit.
Indeed, it was sixteen years ago that lead singer,
Mandawuy Yunupingu, sang his way into the heart of
the nation with this Anthem of his people and, in
1993, he was named Australian of the Year.
Sadly, last January 2007, a now very frail Yunupingu
entered a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. The
man, so many thought of as an inspiration to us all, is
now fighting for his life. Winning the battle for sobriety
is just one of Yunupingu's health challenges. He is also
diabetic and will soon have dialysis treatment for renal
failure. He is a long way from the optimistic voice that
spoke from his warrior's heart, a heart that carried the
hopes of so many Australians, black and white.
The story of Yunupingu is intrinsically tied to the
struggle of his people and his family name is synonymous
with the struggle for Aboriginal land rights.
Yunupingu is well aware that, with substance abuse and
diabetes-related illness killing so many of his people,
this is one battle that he cannot afford to lose - not
only for himself and his family, but also for those who
have been inspired by him and, in particular, through
his music.
If I may, I would like to humbly ask you all to join with
me in extending to this most remarkable man, Mandawuy
Yunupingu, our warmest wishes, along with our loving
thoughts and prayers.
Mandawuy, along with his artistic and talented band,
Yothu Yindi, have certainly provided the inspiration
for a splendid-shared understanding and vision between
indigenous and non-indigenous people, both in Australia
and worldwide.
For a little more information on Australian Aboriginal
music and Mandawuy Yunupingu, you are invited to visit:
http://www.janesoceania.com/australian_aboriginal_music/index1.htm
FEATURE ARTIST
PAUL TAYLOR
Paul Taylor is an acclaimed storyteller and didgeridoo
player who has collaborated with Don Spencer, one
of Australia's most recognized children's performers,
to produce a most interesting album entitled 'Cooee'.
The word 'Cooee' describes a shout used in the Australian
outback mainly to attract attention, find missing people, or
indicate one's own location. When done correctly - loudly
and shrilly - a call of "cooee" can carry over a considerable
distance. Historically, the call began as an Indigenous
Australian custom borrowed from the Aboriginal Dharuk
people, the original inhabitants of the Sydney area, and has
now become widely used in Australia. From the word 'cooee'
an expression "within a cooee of" has developed. It means
"not far from", and its use seems to be mainly confined to
Australia and New Zealand.
As the title of the album suggests, Cooee, Taylor's fourth
album, has a rich and diverse Australian content and
includes songs from the indigenous Australian people
featuring traditional instruments such as the didgeridoo or
yidaki, an ancient Aboriginal musical instrument from the
tropical north of Australia. It is generally a branch of a
tree eaten out by termites.
The album also features the sounds of the Australian bush
along with colonial songs such as Botany Bay and The
Dying Stockman. This album is recommended for those
people who would like a greater understanding of
Australia's musical heritage.
For those people who are interested in traditional Australian
Aboriginal music, it is perhaps worth looking out for an album
entitled 'Bushfire: Traditional Aboriginal Music'.'Bushfire' was
recorded in the Kimberley's in Australia and features some of
the finest musicians of the region. There are two styles of
songs on the album, 'Wongga' and 'Djunba', which are traditional
styles that have been in existence for thousands of years. Each
of the songs have their own stories to tell, from daily happenings
to legends that have been passed down through many generations.
This album is highly recommended for lovers of traditional music.
That's all for now my friends. Today is the end of another busy
week being Friday, may I wish you all a blessed and wonderful
weekend. See you all later.
For further information, please check out my four Domains and associated pages:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Indigenous Music Of Irian Jaya (West Papua) And Biak
Welcome Everybody!
You are all cordially invited to visit and comment, should you wish, on the content of my new Jane Resture's Blog. In this Blog, the very first of many, I would like to discuss and share with you some of the relevant, contemporary and, what I humbly consider, to be important issues regarding our beloved Oceania/Pacific Islands.
In this post, I would like, to once again, mention the incredible music of Irian Jaya (West Papua) in the context of the social environment in which the people of Irian Jaya now find themselves. The music most certainly encapsulates and preserves the cultural heritage of many of the facets of the lives of the indigenous Melanesian people of Irian Jaya and Biak.
NEWS AND VIEWS
(Extracted from Jane's Pacific Islands Radio
Newsletter (Island Music) of September/October 2007:
It is my great pleasure to able to
talk a little further about the incredible music
of West Papua (formally Irian Jaya) and, in
particular the music of Black Paradise, as
well as the music from Biak, one quite small
yet very beautiful island off the coast of West
Papua.
Ignored for centuries, the Melanesian island
of New Guinea (now West Papua - formerly
Irian Jaya - and Papua New Guinea) was like
a lost world, where stone age tribes once
practised cannibalism and where plant life is
found like nothing else on earth. It is a very
old civilisation with carbon dating of remnants
found on camp sites suggesting human
habitation for at least the last 40,000 years.
Indeed, West Papua is a land like no other.
Located on the western rim of the Pacific,
bordering independent Papua New Guinea,
West Papua is merely swimming and walking
distance from Boigu and Saibai islands, the
northern extent of Australia's boundary. It is
a wild and rugged country. It is also a place
where it is possible to stand on the summit of
a 5000m peak, surrounded by ice and snow
and look down on alpine valleys across to an
endless expanse of tropical rainforests and
island studded equatorial waters glistening
in the sun far below. A land that is home to
ancient cultures, including the oldest,
continually cultivating society in existence
and around 300 distinct indigenous groups,
each with their own language.
The traditional music of West Papua has its
origins in the complex and beautiful culture of
the Melanesian people of West Papua. Indeed,
culture is the glue that binds together the local
spirit and identity of each and every indigenous
group in West Papua. However, the oral traditions
of West Papuans have come under considerable
pressure and changed form as a result of the
growing influence of Christianity, the encroachment
of global culture, as well as Indonesian military
repression.
Music driven by global influences and the growing
commercialisation of indigenous music has severed
West Papuans' connections with their traditions and
roots. This resulted in an urgent need for organised
efforts to find forms of traditional Papuan music
which can retain the values, colour and identity of
each of the different indigenous groups from which
the music is derived. In this way, music and songs
will continue to be the substance that binds
indigenous groups together, as well as enabling
freedom of expression.
BLACK PARADISE
My humble comments on the above News and
Views were recognised by West Papuan artists
such as Arnold Ap and Eddie Mofu who formed
the cultural music group, Mambesak, to revitalise
traditional West Papuan dance, music and song.
Mambesak provided a certain colour, form and
inspiration for the birth of music and dance
groups throughout Papua, actively promoting
and strengthening West Papuan identity.
However, Arnold Ap and Eddie Mofu's popularity
and the conscious pride in being Papuan, Mambesak's
music engendered, brought them to the attention of
the Indonesian military who accused them of being
separatists - consequently, sadly and finally they
were murdered.
Twenty years after the killing of Arnold Ap, music
is still a potent source of cultural resistance in
West Papua. Just before he was murdered by Kopassus,
Indonesia's notorious special forces, renowned
West Papuan musician and anthropologist, as well
as the leader of the cultural music group, Mambesak,
wrote his last song: 'The Mystery of Life'.
Sitting beside an old portable tape recorder
in his prison cell, guitar in hand, Ap lovingly
recorded: 'The Mystery of Life'. In the closing words
of the song, Ap sang: "The only thing I desire and am
waiting for, is nothing else but freedom". Like his
music and life, the moving words came from the heart,
and gave voice to a desire that was at once personal
and political and, in particular, to his situation,
but something shared by all his fellow West Papuans.
Then Ap wrapped the cassette up, stuffed it into an
envelope, with words of consolation, and sent it to
his wife who had fled to a refugee camp in Papua
New Guinea. Together, with fellow musician Eddie
Mofu, Arnold Ap was languishing in jail, suspected
by the Indonesian military of having sympathy with
the West Papuan resistance movement, the OPM.
West Papua had been occupied by the Indonesian
military since the early 1960s, and the movement
for self-determination had taken root deep in the
hearts of West Papuans. In a place where contested
identities have become a site of struggle; music,
song and dance became weapons. The real crime of Mofu
and Ap was singing and dancing the traditional songs
of their people, thus promoting pride in Papuan
culture.
Each song is infused with this pride in being West
Papuan. To see it, you almost need to get inside the
song itself. And to do that is to begin to understand
something of West Papua. Through song, culture was
uplifted, and people's lives dignified. Lyrics and
tunes celebrate the mystery and natural beauty of
West Papua, retell traditional legends, impart
knowledge and wisdom, lament, laugh, rage, speak about
the ordinariness of daily life, and the struggles and
joys of relationships. They function as the glue that
invokes soul, animates spirit, and reinforces identity
through the medium of oral traditions.
In West Papua, music is everywhere. In so many
ways, it represents the irrepressible desire for life.
Every evening, as the sun goes down and the jungle
erupts in a cacophony of insects backed up by a
syncopating base line of frogs; and every morning,
when the air is still, one can hear the sound of music.
Songs of struggle, haunting laments, musical delights
in the natural beauty of the land of their ancestors,
and sultry love songs puncture the tropical heat.
Ukulele, guitar, snakeskin drums, and the distinct
four-part soaring harmonies of the Melanesian
Pacific work their way inwards, shaping identity,
weaving stories, and strengthening the courage of
a people determined to be free.
One Mambesak song: "Awin Sup Ine", proudly
featured on our flagship station, Pacific Islands
Radio, and beautifully sung in the enchanting Biak
language, is translated as follows: "At twilight,
the rays of the sun paint beautiful skyscapes,
stirring the eye and heart...". At these times,
the lyrics continue: "... one cannot help but recall
sweet moments from the past and feel again the bonds
of love that bind one to the land".
Other songs sound clear warning bells, and
evoke strong emotions. Many songs also have
sophisticated double meanings. One such
featured song, "Nit Pughuluok En", crafted by
Dani songman and widely respected elder, Chief
Yafet Yelamaken, tells of the departure of a
friend: "Who knows when you will be coming back",
the song goes: "My only hope is to pray that we
shall meet again. Travel safely". However, the
friend, as Chief Yelamaken's daughter explains,
can also be read as the Indonesian Government,
who, it is hoped, will ultimately will leave West
Papua. Tragically, Chief Yelamaken died in a spate
of fatal poisonings that felled many West Papuan
cultural and civil society leaders. Although it
has never been proven, many West Papuans feel
certain it was a political assassination organised
by the Indonesian military.
MUSIC OF BIAK
This most interesting album features the music of
one small island, Biak, that lies just off the
northern coast of West Papua, Indonesia's easternmost
province. Biak has a long history of encounters with
outsiders from Europe and other parts of Indonesia -
a history that continues to unfold as Biak has become
one of the main ports of entry by air to Indonesia for
travelers from North America.
The album focuses on three genres: two contemporary
types of song are contrasted with the older wor, a genre
that is "in decline" but is still remembered by many. The
two newer genres, yospan and church songs, which have
largely replaced wor at celebrations, display considerable
foreign influence.
Certainly, the three genres have contrasting sounds. Most
of the album is devoted to wor. Seventeen of the 72 tracks
exemplify this genre. Divided into dance, non-dance, and
narrative categories, they supply a richer representation
of this genre than most listeners will probably want or need.
Characterized by choral singing (almost exclusively male
on these tracks) and drumming, the differences between
one track and the next are not consequential for the
uninitiated ear. But the wealth of contextual information,
provided for these songs, enables one to appreciate
some of their significance.
The men form into two opposing choruses that compete
for attention - one group "beginning their verse before
the [other] singers are finished, and the [other] singers
retaliating to 'steal back' the song". Within each group,
singers also strive to stand out.
The four examples of church songs offer a stunning
contrast to the wor: sung in five part harmony by female
choirs, these performances are evidence of the deep
influence of Christianity and the long reach of European
missionary and colonial power. Sonically beautiful, these
tracks closely resemble Christian choral singing from
various areas of Africa and other parts of the world.
Yospan, represented by a medley of four songs in the
final track on this album, is a recent dance genre,
created from two other types of dance, one fast and
one slow. The fascinating history of this hybrid
involves government policy, imitations of Dutch
warplanes, and various other seemingly incongruent
elements.
On Biak, dance remains the centrepiece of celebrations.
It is accompanied by an ensemble of guitars, homemade
ukuleles and drums, and a giant bass guitar, the strings
of which are beaten with a stick. This is an amateur form
of expression that is open to all members of Biak society.
Indeed, wor and yospan are based on the same resilient
principles. In a conventional framework of words (wor)
or motions (yospan) both present the foreign as a startling
source of inspiration to be mobilized and circulated locally.
In addition, both genres embody the aesthetic of surprise.
Pacific Islands Radio is very pleased to be able to feature
on the playlist on our Flagship station, the incredible music
of Black Paradise, along with a selection of Music of Biak.
This latter selection (Music of Biak) includes two church
songs and two party hymns. The church songs and party
hymns represent the range of Christian themes addressed
in Biak hymns.
That's all for now with best wishes to all. Have a great
and blessed day!
For further information, please check out my four Domains and associated Web pages:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
You are all cordially invited to visit and comment, should you wish, on the content of my new Jane Resture's Blog. In this Blog, the very first of many, I would like to discuss and share with you some of the relevant, contemporary and, what I humbly consider, to be important issues regarding our beloved Oceania/Pacific Islands.
In this post, I would like, to once again, mention the incredible music of Irian Jaya (West Papua) in the context of the social environment in which the people of Irian Jaya now find themselves. The music most certainly encapsulates and preserves the cultural heritage of many of the facets of the lives of the indigenous Melanesian people of Irian Jaya and Biak.
NEWS AND VIEWS
(Extracted from Jane's Pacific Islands Radio
Newsletter (Island Music) of September/October 2007:
It is my great pleasure to able to
talk a little further about the incredible music
of West Papua (formally Irian Jaya) and, in
particular the music of Black Paradise, as
well as the music from Biak, one quite small
yet very beautiful island off the coast of West
Papua.
Ignored for centuries, the Melanesian island
of New Guinea (now West Papua - formerly
Irian Jaya - and Papua New Guinea) was like
a lost world, where stone age tribes once
practised cannibalism and where plant life is
found like nothing else on earth. It is a very
old civilisation with carbon dating of remnants
found on camp sites suggesting human
habitation for at least the last 40,000 years.
Indeed, West Papua is a land like no other.
Located on the western rim of the Pacific,
bordering independent Papua New Guinea,
West Papua is merely swimming and walking
distance from Boigu and Saibai islands, the
northern extent of Australia's boundary. It is
a wild and rugged country. It is also a place
where it is possible to stand on the summit of
a 5000m peak, surrounded by ice and snow
and look down on alpine valleys across to an
endless expanse of tropical rainforests and
island studded equatorial waters glistening
in the sun far below. A land that is home to
ancient cultures, including the oldest,
continually cultivating society in existence
and around 300 distinct indigenous groups,
each with their own language.
The traditional music of West Papua has its
origins in the complex and beautiful culture of
the Melanesian people of West Papua. Indeed,
culture is the glue that binds together the local
spirit and identity of each and every indigenous
group in West Papua. However, the oral traditions
of West Papuans have come under considerable
pressure and changed form as a result of the
growing influence of Christianity, the encroachment
of global culture, as well as Indonesian military
repression.
Music driven by global influences and the growing
commercialisation of indigenous music has severed
West Papuans' connections with their traditions and
roots. This resulted in an urgent need for organised
efforts to find forms of traditional Papuan music
which can retain the values, colour and identity of
each of the different indigenous groups from which
the music is derived. In this way, music and songs
will continue to be the substance that binds
indigenous groups together, as well as enabling
freedom of expression.
BLACK PARADISE
My humble comments on the above News and
Views were recognised by West Papuan artists
such as Arnold Ap and Eddie Mofu who formed
the cultural music group, Mambesak, to revitalise
traditional West Papuan dance, music and song.
Mambesak provided a certain colour, form and
inspiration for the birth of music and dance
groups throughout Papua, actively promoting
and strengthening West Papuan identity.
However, Arnold Ap and Eddie Mofu's popularity
and the conscious pride in being Papuan, Mambesak's
music engendered, brought them to the attention of
the Indonesian military who accused them of being
separatists - consequently, sadly and finally they
were murdered.
Twenty years after the killing of Arnold Ap, music
is still a potent source of cultural resistance in
West Papua. Just before he was murdered by Kopassus,
Indonesia's notorious special forces, renowned
West Papuan musician and anthropologist, as well
as the leader of the cultural music group, Mambesak,
wrote his last song: 'The Mystery of Life'.
Sitting beside an old portable tape recorder
in his prison cell, guitar in hand, Ap lovingly
recorded: 'The Mystery of Life'. In the closing words
of the song, Ap sang: "The only thing I desire and am
waiting for, is nothing else but freedom". Like his
music and life, the moving words came from the heart,
and gave voice to a desire that was at once personal
and political and, in particular, to his situation,
but something shared by all his fellow West Papuans.
Then Ap wrapped the cassette up, stuffed it into an
envelope, with words of consolation, and sent it to
his wife who had fled to a refugee camp in Papua
New Guinea. Together, with fellow musician Eddie
Mofu, Arnold Ap was languishing in jail, suspected
by the Indonesian military of having sympathy with
the West Papuan resistance movement, the OPM.
West Papua had been occupied by the Indonesian
military since the early 1960s, and the movement
for self-determination had taken root deep in the
hearts of West Papuans. In a place where contested
identities have become a site of struggle; music,
song and dance became weapons. The real crime of Mofu
and Ap was singing and dancing the traditional songs
of their people, thus promoting pride in Papuan
culture.
Each song is infused with this pride in being West
Papuan. To see it, you almost need to get inside the
song itself. And to do that is to begin to understand
something of West Papua. Through song, culture was
uplifted, and people's lives dignified. Lyrics and
tunes celebrate the mystery and natural beauty of
West Papua, retell traditional legends, impart
knowledge and wisdom, lament, laugh, rage, speak about
the ordinariness of daily life, and the struggles and
joys of relationships. They function as the glue that
invokes soul, animates spirit, and reinforces identity
through the medium of oral traditions.
In West Papua, music is everywhere. In so many
ways, it represents the irrepressible desire for life.
Every evening, as the sun goes down and the jungle
erupts in a cacophony of insects backed up by a
syncopating base line of frogs; and every morning,
when the air is still, one can hear the sound of music.
Songs of struggle, haunting laments, musical delights
in the natural beauty of the land of their ancestors,
and sultry love songs puncture the tropical heat.
Ukulele, guitar, snakeskin drums, and the distinct
four-part soaring harmonies of the Melanesian
Pacific work their way inwards, shaping identity,
weaving stories, and strengthening the courage of
a people determined to be free.
One Mambesak song: "Awin Sup Ine", proudly
featured on our flagship station, Pacific Islands
Radio, and beautifully sung in the enchanting Biak
language, is translated as follows: "At twilight,
the rays of the sun paint beautiful skyscapes,
stirring the eye and heart...". At these times,
the lyrics continue: "... one cannot help but recall
sweet moments from the past and feel again the bonds
of love that bind one to the land".
Other songs sound clear warning bells, and
evoke strong emotions. Many songs also have
sophisticated double meanings. One such
featured song, "Nit Pughuluok En", crafted by
Dani songman and widely respected elder, Chief
Yafet Yelamaken, tells of the departure of a
friend: "Who knows when you will be coming back",
the song goes: "My only hope is to pray that we
shall meet again. Travel safely". However, the
friend, as Chief Yelamaken's daughter explains,
can also be read as the Indonesian Government,
who, it is hoped, will ultimately will leave West
Papua. Tragically, Chief Yelamaken died in a spate
of fatal poisonings that felled many West Papuan
cultural and civil society leaders. Although it
has never been proven, many West Papuans feel
certain it was a political assassination organised
by the Indonesian military.
MUSIC OF BIAK
This most interesting album features the music of
one small island, Biak, that lies just off the
northern coast of West Papua, Indonesia's easternmost
province. Biak has a long history of encounters with
outsiders from Europe and other parts of Indonesia -
a history that continues to unfold as Biak has become
one of the main ports of entry by air to Indonesia for
travelers from North America.
The album focuses on three genres: two contemporary
types of song are contrasted with the older wor, a genre
that is "in decline" but is still remembered by many. The
two newer genres, yospan and church songs, which have
largely replaced wor at celebrations, display considerable
foreign influence.
Certainly, the three genres have contrasting sounds. Most
of the album is devoted to wor. Seventeen of the 72 tracks
exemplify this genre. Divided into dance, non-dance, and
narrative categories, they supply a richer representation
of this genre than most listeners will probably want or need.
Characterized by choral singing (almost exclusively male
on these tracks) and drumming, the differences between
one track and the next are not consequential for the
uninitiated ear. But the wealth of contextual information,
provided for these songs, enables one to appreciate
some of their significance.
The men form into two opposing choruses that compete
for attention - one group "beginning their verse before
the [other] singers are finished, and the [other] singers
retaliating to 'steal back' the song". Within each group,
singers also strive to stand out.
The four examples of church songs offer a stunning
contrast to the wor: sung in five part harmony by female
choirs, these performances are evidence of the deep
influence of Christianity and the long reach of European
missionary and colonial power. Sonically beautiful, these
tracks closely resemble Christian choral singing from
various areas of Africa and other parts of the world.
Yospan, represented by a medley of four songs in the
final track on this album, is a recent dance genre,
created from two other types of dance, one fast and
one slow. The fascinating history of this hybrid
involves government policy, imitations of Dutch
warplanes, and various other seemingly incongruent
elements.
On Biak, dance remains the centrepiece of celebrations.
It is accompanied by an ensemble of guitars, homemade
ukuleles and drums, and a giant bass guitar, the strings
of which are beaten with a stick. This is an amateur form
of expression that is open to all members of Biak society.
Indeed, wor and yospan are based on the same resilient
principles. In a conventional framework of words (wor)
or motions (yospan) both present the foreign as a startling
source of inspiration to be mobilized and circulated locally.
In addition, both genres embody the aesthetic of surprise.
Pacific Islands Radio is very pleased to be able to feature
on the playlist on our Flagship station, the incredible music
of Black Paradise, along with a selection of Music of Biak.
This latter selection (Music of Biak) includes two church
songs and two party hymns. The church songs and party
hymns represent the range of Christian themes addressed
in Biak hymns.
That's all for now with best wishes to all. Have a great
and blessed day!
For further information, please check out my four Domains and associated Web pages:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
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