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 Oceania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oceania. Show all posts
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Aboriginal And Melanesian Music
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 this edition of our Pacific Islands Radio
Newsletter (Island Music), it is my great
pleasure to be able to focus on some aspects
of the traditional music of Melanesia and to
introduce some exciting Melanesian artists
who have now been incorporated into our
Playlists. In subsequent editions, it is my
intention to focus on aspects of Polynesian
music and musicians, followed by music
and musicians from Micronesia.
In this respect, I would like to share with
you some thoughts on the music of the
Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait
Islanders. Their music is very much part
of the social fabric of their life, their
history and their culture.It has a haunting
and mysterious quality that draws the listener
into the history, culture and the ancient
dreamtime of the Aboriginal people.
Among the earliest inhabitants of the
Oceania region, it is generally accepted
that the indigenous Australians - the
Aboriginal people - entered Australia
from the Indo-Malaysian mainland via
New Guinea, taking advantage of the
land bridges which stretched most of
the way through Asia. These land bridges
were exposed during the ice ages, the
Pleistocene epoch, when water levels
dropped hundreds of metres. New
Guinea and Cape York Peninsula were
once joined by the Sahul Shelf.
The oldest settlement so far recorded
in Australia is radiocarbon-dated to
about 50,000 years ago. This settlement
around Lake Mungo is where humans
camped around inland lake shores and
dined on fish, shellfish, emu eggs, small
marsupials and - almost certainly - a range
of wild seeds, roots and fruits. The first
human remains found at Lake Mungo are
all homo sapiens - the modern human type
to which present-day black and white
Australians all belong. More than this, the
remains are among the oldest of this type
in the world.
The first archaeological discovery at Mungo,
in 1969, was a skeleton of a female who
had been cremated and placed in a small pit.
This cremation is dated to about 24,000 B.C.
Other burials in the Mungo region are of bodies
laid out flat and not burned, but all have some
kind of goods with them in the grave. These
goods include stone tools, shells and animal
seeds. At this time, we do not know the beliefs
of the mourners who made these offerings,
however, their presence most probably recorded
a complex set of beliefs about the spiritual
world. It seems likely that aspects of the
"Dreaming", the all-encompassing historical and
cosmological structure that is a cornerstone of
modern aboriginal life, were already present all
those years ago.
Although there were variations in the customs
and skills of the hundreds of different
Aboriginal tribes across the vast continent
of Australia, they all lived in equally close
community with their environment. The Dreamtime,
the Aborigine's spiritual guide, encouraged their
intimate involvement with the landscape, whether
their home was on the lush coastal plains or in
the harsh interior. They knew what to eat, how
to prepare it, where and when to find it and,
most important, how to protect their resources
for the future. What the elders knew about
survival, they passed on by example, legend
and ritual. Along with this, there were songs
for every occasion - hunting songs, funeral
songs, gossip songs and songs of ancestors,
landscapes, animals, seasons, myths and
Dreamtime legends.
TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL MUSIC
Indigenous Australian music, in this context,
is taken to include the music of the Australian
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who
are collectively referred to as indigenous
Australians. Music has formed an integral
part of the social, cultural and ceremonial
observances of Australian Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples, down through
the millennia of their individual and
collective histories to the present day.
Aboriginal people throughout most of Australia
believe that in the beginning of time, in the
Dreaming, there were no visible landmarks; the
world was flat. As time progressed, creatures
emerged from the ground and had the power to
change at will from their animal to their human
form.
The kangaroo ancestor may now be described, in
songs particularly, as the kangaroo; the form of his
life essence is a matter of little consequence. These
original ancestral beings created all the features of
the landscape in the area in which their lives were
spent, and also populated the entire region concerned.
By their actions, they laid down the rules of conduct
for all their offspring.
Throughout their lives on earth, they left inseminating
powers in the soil; they also created, and taught to
others, many songs including those recounting the
history of their own lives, songs for healing the
wounded and the sick, injuring the enemy, including
rain, arresting the flood, or causing the wind to turn
back.
The inseminating powers left by these ancestors
are doubly important to the present people:
firstly, because the propagation of their group
is dependent on this power to create human
offspring in the likeliness of the human elements
of the ancestor; secondly, because the food
source of the group is dependent on this power
of each ancestor to ensure the plentiful supply
of recreated forms of the animal or plant element
of the ancestor's being.
These powers become most accessible to the
present inhabitants of the area on those
occasions when the spirit of a particular
ancestor is drawn towards his own identification
marks of the song, acts and designs which he
originally created and which have been
meticulously preserved ever since.
SONGS OF THE DREAMTIME
A song is sung as a series comprising
many short verses, each of which tells
about a particular event or place associated
with the ancestor; or the performance may be
a full ceremonial one which includes portrayal
of relevant events in the performance of
dances accompanied by the singing of the
appropriate verses.
The song associated with any one totemic "line"
will have the one melodic form throughout. This
means, in the case of very long "lines" of songs,
where the ancestor is reputed to have crossed
thousands of miles of territory, that the
characteristic melodic form will be found in
areas with different languages and musical
techniques.
Because of the latter differences, an outside
observer may well fail to recognise extreme
sections of the one song-line as conforming
to the same musical pattern, but that they
do conform has been repeatedly stressed by
performers and shown by a number of detailed
analyses. The concept differs from our
experience of melodic sameness; it consists
of repetitions of sections of melody for a
set proportion of the time the total verse
takes to perform.
Because this technique allows flexibility in
those areas of musical expression which tend
to change from one tribe to another, the basic
information can be kept intact even though
the total history may be retained, section by
section, in many different tribal areas.
This means that, even when a visitor from afar
is unable to understand the language that the
locals are using in a song, he can determine,
from the musical structure, to which totemic
line the song belongs.
And, because his own totemic song has been
very strong conditioning agent in the total
processes of his education to adult status in
the community, the recognition of his own song
in another area will have very deep significance.
These history songs link the time long past with
the present; the singer is part of a continuum;
he is reliving events of another era, and is yet
part of them.
AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
The Australian Aboriginal people developed a
number of rare, unique and interesting musical
instruments. These include the didgeridoo, the
bullroarer, and the gum-leaf. Most well known
is the didgeridoo, a simple wooden tube blown
with the lips like a trumpet, which gains its
sonic flexibility from controllable resonances
of the player's vocal tract. The bull-roarer
is a simple wooden slat whirled in a circle on
the end of a cord so that it rotates about its
axis and produces a pulsating low-pitched roar.
The gum-leaf, as the name suggests, is a tree
leaf, held against the lips and blown so as to
act as a vibrating valve with "blown-open"
configuration. Originally intended to imitate
bird-calls, the gum-leaf can also be used as
a musical instrument.
The didgeridoo originated in Arnhem Land on
the northern coastline of central Australia,
and has some similarity to bamboo trumpets and
even bronze horns developed in other cultures,
though it pre-dates most of these by many
millennia. The characteristic feature is that
the didgeridoo, which is a slightly flaring
wooden tube about 1.5 metres in length, is
simply hollowed out by natural termites
("white ants") from the trunk of one of the
small trees of the region. After cutting down,
the instrument is cleaned out with a stick,
the outside refined by scraping and then
painted with traditional designs, and the
blowing end smoothed by adding a rim of
beeswax.
The predominant sound of the didgeridoo is a
low-pitched drone with frequency around 70Hz,
but depending significantly upon the length of the
instrument and the flare of its bore. In traditional
use, the didgeridoo, with clap-sticks for emphasis,
accompanies songs or illustrates traditional stories
about ancestors and animals Recently, however,
its use has spread into the popular music domain
and has had world-wide influence.
The bullroarer consists of a simple wooden slat,
30 to 40cm in length and 5 to 7cm wide that is
whirled around in a circle on the end of a length
of cord. The slat rotates under the influence of
aerodynamic forces and generates a pulsating
sound with a frequency typically around 80Hz.
This sound is an important feature of Aboriginal
initiation ceremonies. The instrument itself is
by no means unique to Australia, as similar
instruments have been used by populations as
diverse as those of ancient Egypt and Northern
Canada.
The gumleaf is altogether more primitive as a
musical instrument, since it consists simply
of a leaf from one of the various species of
Eucalypt trees growing throughout Australia,
which held against the lips using the fingers
of both hands. It does, however, have a long
tradition and culture. Although it takes a good
deal of trial and error for a beginner to even
produce a sound from a gumleaf, a skilled
player can control the pitch with good accuracy
over a range of more than an octave and play
simple tunes with ease.
As in most cultures, the Aborigines also used
percussive instruments in their ceremonies.
Often these were simply two boomerangs
clashed together, but they also made special
shaped sticks for this purpose. Because the
wood used is a fine-grained hardwood, the
clapsticks are physically long-lasting and
produce a sharp and well defined sound.
In their usual form, these sticks are about
200mm in length and 20mm in diameter and
are shaped to a long point at each end. One
stick is held in each hand and they are struck
together at about the mid-point of each. The
pointed ends ensure that the fundamental
transverse vibration has a high frequency,
so that the percussive effect stands out
well above the low-pitched drone of the
didgeridoo.
The musical instruments of the Australian
Aboriginal people have come into world
prominence because of the popularity of
the didgeridoo, both as a tourist item and
as a musical instrument. It is only recently
that we have begun to have an appreciation
of the acoustical subtleties associated with
performance on this and the other ancient
instruments of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Island people.
By the way, I am very pleased to be able
to say that our Playlists now include
beautiful tracks from Yothu Yindi, Becim,
Wasi Ka Nanara, Ok! Ryos, along with
Elisa and Julie.
ADDITIONS TO THE PLAYLISTS
OK! RYOS
Originally from the Loyalty Province of
New Caledonia, Ok! Ryos are certainly
one of the most talented and the most prolific
bands in the country. Their songs, mainly
sung in "Nengone" language, are true jewels
of melodies and vocal harmonies. Traditional
without being folkloric, contemporary without
losing its soul, the musical cocktail of Ok!
Ryos charms our ears and our senses, bringing
us, for a moment, to the lagoons and atolls of
the South Pacific.
ELISA AND JULIE
The first album from the backup singers from
the group "Ok! Ryos." Elisa (25 years old)
and Julie (21 years old) momentarily left their
older brother (Édouard Wamejo) to record
this album. "Ciroi," meaning life, is sung in
French and in Nengone (the language of Maré,
the home island of the girls in New Caledonia).
All the pieces, except one written by their
brother, were written and composed by Julie
and Elisa.
"This is an album from and for girls that
talks about life, love, peace, and acts as
an encouraging message." However, boys also
are invited to listen to this album that
combines two young voices in magnificent
harmony!
WASI KA NANARA
The music of Wasi Ka Nanara is indigenous
to the Solomon Islands, especially on the
island of Malaita. One never sees women in
the group, for the music and dance is
exclusively the business of men. The musicians
make all their instruments themselves out of
bamboo. One particular instrument connects
many pan pipes together to form a kind of
collar which the players manipulate with a
turn of the neck.
The music of the group comes from the first
century of their era, a time of the Lapita
culture, enriched later with contacts with
Polynesia, the Aborigines of Austrailia and
other islands of Melanesia.
BECIM
From the South Pacific Island of New Caledonia,
Becim presents a collection of reggae and
pop-influenced island music. Mixed with Latin
percussion and beautiful vocal harmonies, Becim
gives an unexpected look at Pacific Island music.
FEATURE ARTISTS
YOTHU YINDI
Yothu Yindi have their origins in the Yolngu
homelands of the Aboriginal people Arnhem
Land, on the north-east coast of Australia's
Northern Territory. This is an area that the
Yolngu have occupied and protected since
their people first arrived on the vast Australian
continent perhaps 40,000 years or more ago.
The Yolngu members of the band celebrate
their deep spiritual connections with the land,
connections that are kept alive through song,
dance and ceremony. These are reflected in
the band's recordings and live performances
which are essentially a pleasing fusion of their
traditional music and dance with contemporary
western music.
The name of the band translates as "mother
and child", and is essentially a kinship term
used by the Yolngu people of the Northern
Territory's Arnhem Land. The group's central
figure Mandawuy Yunupingu and clansman
Witiyana Marika gathered other aboriginal
musicians and dancers to form Yothu Yindi,
a troupe initially created to perform at cultural
events both in Australia and internationally.
Yothu Yindi's first album, 'Homeland Movement'
comprised politicized rock on one side. The
other side of the album concentrated on
traditionally based songs like 'Djapana' (Sunset
Dreaming), written by former teacher Mandawuy
Yunupingu.Mandawuy's family has a long and
proud tradition in the struggle for aboriginal
land rights. Mandawuy Yunupingu was named 1992
Australian of The Year.
Yothu Yindi are a unique group that will always be
Yothu Yindi. No matter how you combine Yolgnu
culture in pop, rock or dance music what counts are
the lyrics and the unique access to 40,000 years of
Aboriginal history and tradition. This is what makes
the groups contribution to popular music culture
such a valuable one.
* * * * * * * * * *
For further information, please check out the
following four Domains:
http://www.janeresture.com/index.htm
http://www.janesoceania.com/index.html
http://www.ourpacificocean.com/index.htm
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
Thank you everybody. I wish you all 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 this edition of our Pacific Islands Radio
Newsletter (Island Music), it is my great
pleasure to be able to focus on some aspects
of the traditional music of Melanesia and to
introduce some exciting Melanesian artists
who have now been incorporated into our
Playlists. In subsequent editions, it is my
intention to focus on aspects of Polynesian
music and musicians, followed by music
and musicians from Micronesia.
In this respect, I would like to share with
you some thoughts on the music of the
Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait
Islanders. Their music is very much part
of the social fabric of their life, their
history and their culture.It has a haunting
and mysterious quality that draws the listener
into the history, culture and the ancient
dreamtime of the Aboriginal people.
Among the earliest inhabitants of the
Oceania region, it is generally accepted
that the indigenous Australians - the
Aboriginal people - entered Australia
from the Indo-Malaysian mainland via
New Guinea, taking advantage of the
land bridges which stretched most of
the way through Asia. These land bridges
were exposed during the ice ages, the
Pleistocene epoch, when water levels
dropped hundreds of metres. New
Guinea and Cape York Peninsula were
once joined by the Sahul Shelf.
The oldest settlement so far recorded
in Australia is radiocarbon-dated to
about 50,000 years ago. This settlement
around Lake Mungo is where humans
camped around inland lake shores and
dined on fish, shellfish, emu eggs, small
marsupials and - almost certainly - a range
of wild seeds, roots and fruits. The first
human remains found at Lake Mungo are
all homo sapiens - the modern human type
to which present-day black and white
Australians all belong. More than this, the
remains are among the oldest of this type
in the world.
The first archaeological discovery at Mungo,
in 1969, was a skeleton of a female who
had been cremated and placed in a small pit.
This cremation is dated to about 24,000 B.C.
Other burials in the Mungo region are of bodies
laid out flat and not burned, but all have some
kind of goods with them in the grave. These
goods include stone tools, shells and animal
seeds. At this time, we do not know the beliefs
of the mourners who made these offerings,
however, their presence most probably recorded
a complex set of beliefs about the spiritual
world. It seems likely that aspects of the
"Dreaming", the all-encompassing historical and
cosmological structure that is a cornerstone of
modern aboriginal life, were already present all
those years ago.
Although there were variations in the customs
and skills of the hundreds of different
Aboriginal tribes across the vast continent
of Australia, they all lived in equally close
community with their environment. The Dreamtime,
the Aborigine's spiritual guide, encouraged their
intimate involvement with the landscape, whether
their home was on the lush coastal plains or in
the harsh interior. They knew what to eat, how
to prepare it, where and when to find it and,
most important, how to protect their resources
for the future. What the elders knew about
survival, they passed on by example, legend
and ritual. Along with this, there were songs
for every occasion - hunting songs, funeral
songs, gossip songs and songs of ancestors,
landscapes, animals, seasons, myths and
Dreamtime legends.
TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL MUSIC
Indigenous Australian music, in this context,
is taken to include the music of the Australian
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who
are collectively referred to as indigenous
Australians. Music has formed an integral
part of the social, cultural and ceremonial
observances of Australian Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples, down through
the millennia of their individual and
collective histories to the present day.
Aboriginal people throughout most of Australia
believe that in the beginning of time, in the
Dreaming, there were no visible landmarks; the
world was flat. As time progressed, creatures
emerged from the ground and had the power to
change at will from their animal to their human
form.
The kangaroo ancestor may now be described, in
songs particularly, as the kangaroo; the form of his
life essence is a matter of little consequence. These
original ancestral beings created all the features of
the landscape in the area in which their lives were
spent, and also populated the entire region concerned.
By their actions, they laid down the rules of conduct
for all their offspring.
Throughout their lives on earth, they left inseminating
powers in the soil; they also created, and taught to
others, many songs including those recounting the
history of their own lives, songs for healing the
wounded and the sick, injuring the enemy, including
rain, arresting the flood, or causing the wind to turn
back.
The inseminating powers left by these ancestors
are doubly important to the present people:
firstly, because the propagation of their group
is dependent on this power to create human
offspring in the likeliness of the human elements
of the ancestor; secondly, because the food
source of the group is dependent on this power
of each ancestor to ensure the plentiful supply
of recreated forms of the animal or plant element
of the ancestor's being.
These powers become most accessible to the
present inhabitants of the area on those
occasions when the spirit of a particular
ancestor is drawn towards his own identification
marks of the song, acts and designs which he
originally created and which have been
meticulously preserved ever since.
SONGS OF THE DREAMTIME
A song is sung as a series comprising
many short verses, each of which tells
about a particular event or place associated
with the ancestor; or the performance may be
a full ceremonial one which includes portrayal
of relevant events in the performance of
dances accompanied by the singing of the
appropriate verses.
The song associated with any one totemic "line"
will have the one melodic form throughout. This
means, in the case of very long "lines" of songs,
where the ancestor is reputed to have crossed
thousands of miles of territory, that the
characteristic melodic form will be found in
areas with different languages and musical
techniques.
Because of the latter differences, an outside
observer may well fail to recognise extreme
sections of the one song-line as conforming
to the same musical pattern, but that they
do conform has been repeatedly stressed by
performers and shown by a number of detailed
analyses. The concept differs from our
experience of melodic sameness; it consists
of repetitions of sections of melody for a
set proportion of the time the total verse
takes to perform.
Because this technique allows flexibility in
those areas of musical expression which tend
to change from one tribe to another, the basic
information can be kept intact even though
the total history may be retained, section by
section, in many different tribal areas.
This means that, even when a visitor from afar
is unable to understand the language that the
locals are using in a song, he can determine,
from the musical structure, to which totemic
line the song belongs.
And, because his own totemic song has been
very strong conditioning agent in the total
processes of his education to adult status in
the community, the recognition of his own song
in another area will have very deep significance.
These history songs link the time long past with
the present; the singer is part of a continuum;
he is reliving events of another era, and is yet
part of them.
AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
The Australian Aboriginal people developed a
number of rare, unique and interesting musical
instruments. These include the didgeridoo, the
bullroarer, and the gum-leaf. Most well known
is the didgeridoo, a simple wooden tube blown
with the lips like a trumpet, which gains its
sonic flexibility from controllable resonances
of the player's vocal tract. The bull-roarer
is a simple wooden slat whirled in a circle on
the end of a cord so that it rotates about its
axis and produces a pulsating low-pitched roar.
The gum-leaf, as the name suggests, is a tree
leaf, held against the lips and blown so as to
act as a vibrating valve with "blown-open"
configuration. Originally intended to imitate
bird-calls, the gum-leaf can also be used as
a musical instrument.
The didgeridoo originated in Arnhem Land on
the northern coastline of central Australia,
and has some similarity to bamboo trumpets and
even bronze horns developed in other cultures,
though it pre-dates most of these by many
millennia. The characteristic feature is that
the didgeridoo, which is a slightly flaring
wooden tube about 1.5 metres in length, is
simply hollowed out by natural termites
("white ants") from the trunk of one of the
small trees of the region. After cutting down,
the instrument is cleaned out with a stick,
the outside refined by scraping and then
painted with traditional designs, and the
blowing end smoothed by adding a rim of
beeswax.
The predominant sound of the didgeridoo is a
low-pitched drone with frequency around 70Hz,
but depending significantly upon the length of the
instrument and the flare of its bore. In traditional
use, the didgeridoo, with clap-sticks for emphasis,
accompanies songs or illustrates traditional stories
about ancestors and animals Recently, however,
its use has spread into the popular music domain
and has had world-wide influence.
The bullroarer consists of a simple wooden slat,
30 to 40cm in length and 5 to 7cm wide that is
whirled around in a circle on the end of a length
of cord. The slat rotates under the influence of
aerodynamic forces and generates a pulsating
sound with a frequency typically around 80Hz.
This sound is an important feature of Aboriginal
initiation ceremonies. The instrument itself is
by no means unique to Australia, as similar
instruments have been used by populations as
diverse as those of ancient Egypt and Northern
Canada.
The gumleaf is altogether more primitive as a
musical instrument, since it consists simply
of a leaf from one of the various species of
Eucalypt trees growing throughout Australia,
which held against the lips using the fingers
of both hands. It does, however, have a long
tradition and culture. Although it takes a good
deal of trial and error for a beginner to even
produce a sound from a gumleaf, a skilled
player can control the pitch with good accuracy
over a range of more than an octave and play
simple tunes with ease.
As in most cultures, the Aborigines also used
percussive instruments in their ceremonies.
Often these were simply two boomerangs
clashed together, but they also made special
shaped sticks for this purpose. Because the
wood used is a fine-grained hardwood, the
clapsticks are physically long-lasting and
produce a sharp and well defined sound.
In their usual form, these sticks are about
200mm in length and 20mm in diameter and
are shaped to a long point at each end. One
stick is held in each hand and they are struck
together at about the mid-point of each. The
pointed ends ensure that the fundamental
transverse vibration has a high frequency,
so that the percussive effect stands out
well above the low-pitched drone of the
didgeridoo.
The musical instruments of the Australian
Aboriginal people have come into world
prominence because of the popularity of
the didgeridoo, both as a tourist item and
as a musical instrument. It is only recently
that we have begun to have an appreciation
of the acoustical subtleties associated with
performance on this and the other ancient
instruments of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Island people.
By the way, I am very pleased to be able
to say that our Playlists now include
beautiful tracks from Yothu Yindi, Becim,
Wasi Ka Nanara, Ok! Ryos, along with
Elisa and Julie.
ADDITIONS TO THE PLAYLISTS
OK! RYOS
Originally from the Loyalty Province of
New Caledonia, Ok! Ryos are certainly
one of the most talented and the most prolific
bands in the country. Their songs, mainly
sung in "Nengone" language, are true jewels
of melodies and vocal harmonies. Traditional
without being folkloric, contemporary without
losing its soul, the musical cocktail of Ok!
Ryos charms our ears and our senses, bringing
us, for a moment, to the lagoons and atolls of
the South Pacific.
ELISA AND JULIE
The first album from the backup singers from
the group "Ok! Ryos." Elisa (25 years old)
and Julie (21 years old) momentarily left their
older brother (Édouard Wamejo) to record
this album. "Ciroi," meaning life, is sung in
French and in Nengone (the language of Maré,
the home island of the girls in New Caledonia).
All the pieces, except one written by their
brother, were written and composed by Julie
and Elisa.
"This is an album from and for girls that
talks about life, love, peace, and acts as
an encouraging message." However, boys also
are invited to listen to this album that
combines two young voices in magnificent
harmony!
WASI KA NANARA
The music of Wasi Ka Nanara is indigenous
to the Solomon Islands, especially on the
island of Malaita. One never sees women in
the group, for the music and dance is
exclusively the business of men. The musicians
make all their instruments themselves out of
bamboo. One particular instrument connects
many pan pipes together to form a kind of
collar which the players manipulate with a
turn of the neck.
The music of the group comes from the first
century of their era, a time of the Lapita
culture, enriched later with contacts with
Polynesia, the Aborigines of Austrailia and
other islands of Melanesia.
BECIM
From the South Pacific Island of New Caledonia,
Becim presents a collection of reggae and
pop-influenced island music. Mixed with Latin
percussion and beautiful vocal harmonies, Becim
gives an unexpected look at Pacific Island music.
FEATURE ARTISTS
YOTHU YINDI
Yothu Yindi have their origins in the Yolngu
homelands of the Aboriginal people Arnhem
Land, on the north-east coast of Australia's
Northern Territory. This is an area that the
Yolngu have occupied and protected since
their people first arrived on the vast Australian
continent perhaps 40,000 years or more ago.
The Yolngu members of the band celebrate
their deep spiritual connections with the land,
connections that are kept alive through song,
dance and ceremony. These are reflected in
the band's recordings and live performances
which are essentially a pleasing fusion of their
traditional music and dance with contemporary
western music.
The name of the band translates as "mother
and child", and is essentially a kinship term
used by the Yolngu people of the Northern
Territory's Arnhem Land. The group's central
figure Mandawuy Yunupingu and clansman
Witiyana Marika gathered other aboriginal
musicians and dancers to form Yothu Yindi,
a troupe initially created to perform at cultural
events both in Australia and internationally.
Yothu Yindi's first album, 'Homeland Movement'
comprised politicized rock on one side. The
other side of the album concentrated on
traditionally based songs like 'Djapana' (Sunset
Dreaming), written by former teacher Mandawuy
Yunupingu.Mandawuy's family has a long and
proud tradition in the struggle for aboriginal
land rights. Mandawuy Yunupingu was named 1992
Australian of The Year.
Yothu Yindi are a unique group that will always be
Yothu Yindi. No matter how you combine Yolgnu
culture in pop, rock or dance music what counts are
the lyrics and the unique access to 40,000 years of
Aboriginal history and tradition. This is what makes
the groups contribution to popular music culture
such a valuable one.
* * * * * * * * * *
For further information, please check out the
following four Domains:
http://www.janeresture.com/index.htm
http://www.janesoceania.com/index.html
http://www.ourpacificocean.com/index.htm
http://www.pacificislandsradio.com/index.htm
Thank you everybody. I wish you all 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
The Origin Of What Is Now Commonly Known As The Sweet Potato
For many years, researches and scientists have speculated that ancient Pacific Island voyagers may have reached the shores of South America. Indeed, Arthur Grimble (later Sir Arthur Grimble), in an article in 'National Geographic Magazine' of January 1943, mentions a tradition among the Micronesian people of the Gilbert Islands (now the Republic of Kiribati), that one of their early adventurers reached the shores of the American continent, more than 4,500 miles away.
The stories tell of one Raakau, the greatest of all Gilbertese navigators who reported a land that stretched along the eastern edge of the ocean, to northward without end, and to the southward without end. It was said that this land lies beyond the farthest eastward islands and it was a wall of mountains up against the place where the sun rises, standing over plains full of fertility. There is only one littoral in the Pacific that can be said to fit this description, and that is the western coast of the American continent.
In addition, the late Professor Roland B. Dixon was convinced that the sweet potato reached Polynesia from America by the aid of human hands. He also concluded that the transference of the plant was carried out by Polynesians who had reached the Peruvian coast and had taken the valuable plant back with them to their island home. The Peruvian coast was specified because, in the Kechua dialet of north Peru, the name for the sweet potato is "kumar" and, in the Polynesian name for the plant is "kumara".
In this respect, it is most interesting to see that a paper that recently appeared in the prestigious 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Science' provides the first hard evidence supporting the view that Polynesians did, in fact, sail all the way to the west coast of the American continent, at least a century before the arrival of Columbus.
The key to this breakthrough was chicken bones found in Chile which were radiocarbon dated as approximately 600 years old. DNA testing revealed that the bones carried a rare mutation otherwise only found in chickens from Mele Havea, Tonga, and Fatu-ma-Futi, American Samoa. This evidence clearly indicates a pattern of interaction between Polynesians, long recognized as some of the world's finest sailors and navigators in times preceding Western contact, and South Americans. To put it simply, Polynesians not only made it to America before Columbus, but they apparently introduced the chicken to the continent, as well, with these fowls having a DNA identical to chickens found in Tonga and Tutuila, Samoa.
Another interesting story relating to Polynesian voyagers comes from the study of the chemistry of ancient basalt adzes found in the Tuamotus in the 1930s. Scientists from the University of Queensland, in Australia, have definitely traced one of them to the island of Kahoolawe. The research, published in the Journal 'Science', confirms the view that ancient voyagers came to Hawaii from what is now French Polynesia, and then returned.
Indeed, the early legends from Hawaii recount many voyages to and from Tahiti. In sailing south, the course was maintained by keeping the North Star directly astern. When the North Star sank into the sea, the star Newe was taken as the southern guide and the constellation of Humu was overhead. The last voyager mentioned in Hawaiian traditions was the priest Paao, who arrived from Ra'iatea in about 1275 A.D.
In any event, it is pleasing to see that the modern scientific tools of DNA analysis and chemical testing are confirming so many of the early oral traditions of Pacific Island people. They are also confirming the view that the Polynesians are some of the finest canoe builders, sailors and navigators that the world has ever known.
For further information, please check out my four Domains:
www.janeresture.com
www.janesoceania.com
www.ourpacificocean.com
www.pacificislandsradio.com
The stories tell of one Raakau, the greatest of all Gilbertese navigators who reported a land that stretched along the eastern edge of the ocean, to northward without end, and to the southward without end. It was said that this land lies beyond the farthest eastward islands and it was a wall of mountains up against the place where the sun rises, standing over plains full of fertility. There is only one littoral in the Pacific that can be said to fit this description, and that is the western coast of the American continent.
In addition, the late Professor Roland B. Dixon was convinced that the sweet potato reached Polynesia from America by the aid of human hands. He also concluded that the transference of the plant was carried out by Polynesians who had reached the Peruvian coast and had taken the valuable plant back with them to their island home. The Peruvian coast was specified because, in the Kechua dialet of north Peru, the name for the sweet potato is "kumar" and, in the Polynesian name for the plant is "kumara".
In this respect, it is most interesting to see that a paper that recently appeared in the prestigious 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Science' provides the first hard evidence supporting the view that Polynesians did, in fact, sail all the way to the west coast of the American continent, at least a century before the arrival of Columbus.
The key to this breakthrough was chicken bones found in Chile which were radiocarbon dated as approximately 600 years old. DNA testing revealed that the bones carried a rare mutation otherwise only found in chickens from Mele Havea, Tonga, and Fatu-ma-Futi, American Samoa. This evidence clearly indicates a pattern of interaction between Polynesians, long recognized as some of the world's finest sailors and navigators in times preceding Western contact, and South Americans. To put it simply, Polynesians not only made it to America before Columbus, but they apparently introduced the chicken to the continent, as well, with these fowls having a DNA identical to chickens found in Tonga and Tutuila, Samoa.
Another interesting story relating to Polynesian voyagers comes from the study of the chemistry of ancient basalt adzes found in the Tuamotus in the 1930s. Scientists from the University of Queensland, in Australia, have definitely traced one of them to the island of Kahoolawe. The research, published in the Journal 'Science', confirms the view that ancient voyagers came to Hawaii from what is now French Polynesia, and then returned.
Indeed, the early legends from Hawaii recount many voyages to and from Tahiti. In sailing south, the course was maintained by keeping the North Star directly astern. When the North Star sank into the sea, the star Newe was taken as the southern guide and the constellation of Humu was overhead. The last voyager mentioned in Hawaiian traditions was the priest Paao, who arrived from Ra'iatea in about 1275 A.D.
In any event, it is pleasing to see that the modern scientific tools of DNA analysis and chemical testing are confirming so many of the early oral traditions of Pacific Island people. They are also confirming the view that the Polynesians are some of the finest canoe builders, sailors and navigators that the world has ever known.
For further information, please check out my 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
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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