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- Convenor:
-
Junzo Kawada
(Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture, Kanagawa University, Japan)
- Location:
- 304
- Start time:
- 16 May, 2014 at
Time zone: Asia/Tokyo
- Session slots:
- 2
Short Abstract:
We present five latest results of our project, rejecting the concept of "music", to grasp African fertile sound activities, including oral traditions, dances and rituals. They are: drum language, "griot" singers, wandering singers, ritual sound performances, religio-political roles of lamellophone.
Long Abstract:
We present the latest results of our research project, carried out since 1995 under the title of "Sound Cultures of Africa". By using the term "sound cultures" we reject the concept of "music", used in Europe since XVth century, in order to grasp the vast and fertile reality of African sound activities, including oral traditions, dances and rituals. In this sense, we also deny the term as well as the concept of "ethno-musicology". We have worked in close association with the intangible cultural heritage program of UNESCO.
In the present panel, several aspects of African sound cultures, studied by five members of our team through their long-term field researches, will be examined:
1) drum language relating the dynastic history of ancient Mossi kingdoms (Burkina Faso), on which the researches for over 40 years have been accomplished by KAWADA, including the apprenticeship with native performers, detailed sound-spectrographic analysis and many experiments;
2) vicissitude of social and political functions of traditional "griot" singers since the independence of African states (Guinea and Ivory Coast);
3) multifaceted activities of wandering singers Lalibalocc (Ethiopia), together with their recent changes, minutely seized by means of audio-visual analysis;
4) social factors found in transformations of ritual sound performances among the Gogo society (Tanzania); and
5) religious and political roles of the lamellophone mbira, associated with possession cults (Zimbabwe).
Accepted papers:
Session 1Paper long abstract:
Transmission systems of the verbal message by means of drum or slit gong sounds have been widely elaborated in Sub-Saharan African societies, where the tone languages are spoken, except for the languages classified as West-Atlantic languages. Among so called “talking drums”, the bifacial hourglass type drums, beaten by a hooked wooden stick, of which the player regulates the tension of faces by grasping the strings which link the two faces, like Yoruba iya-ilu, in order to produce different tones, are widely used among West African peoples. Talking drums of this type are suitable to send verbal messages with different tones which are freely combined to express different meanings. Otherwise, to send the verbal messages with two distinctive tones, a pair of large and small drums, like Ashanti atumpan, is appropriate.
Paper short abstract:
Lalibalocc, the wandering singers in Ethiopia, are said to be condemned to leprosy with their descendants unless they sing, beg and bless for alms. By audio-visual methods, I explore the singers' creativity in their Amharic oral poetry based on the interactions with the audience.
Paper long abstract:
Lalibalocc (singular: Lalibala/Hamina) are the group of wandering singers in Ethiopia who are believed to share the oral tradition, which condemns them and their descendants to leprosy unless they sing, beg and bless for alms in the morning. They usually work in the morning from door to door. Sound instruments are never used by them.
Before Lalibalocc start singing, they ask neighbours the name, religion and occupation of the owner of the house. Thus, the lyrics of their oral poetry are contrived in a flexible way to uplift the feeling of the listeners according to the personal information they obtain from this sort of "research". Once Lalibalocc receive alms in the form of money, clothes and food, they sing particular forms of blessing verse-wishing prosperity to the listener before moving to the next residence. People have variable reaction to Lalibalocc: some welcome them sincerely while others refuse them with deep-seated antipathy.
The paper explores the singer' creativity in their Amharic oral poetry based on the interactions with the audience specifically focusing on the daily activities of Lalibalocc who come annually to Gondar in northern Ethiopia. The paper also examines challenges and prospects for the documentation of Lalibalocc's oral poetry through audio-visual methods including my ethnographic filmmaking practice on their performance.
Paper short abstract:
The Gogo, agro-pastoralists in Tanzania, have their distinctive melodic and harmonic structure, lamellophones and women’s drumming. The decline of traditional sound performances after independence caused the emergence of semi-professional sound groups.
Paper long abstract:
The Gogo are agro-pastoralists living in a semi-arid area in Central Tanzania. The Gogo-land is a draught prone region where agriculture is problematic because of low and erratic rainfall. Gogo people are also known for their distinctive sound style, including a unique melodic and harmonic structure, the use of large lamellophones, and women's drumming. Traditionally, most genres of sound culture were associated with specific social events, including farming and livestock-keeping. Aside from genres performed for specific rituals and for recreation, there were genres associated with rain-making or cattle disease. These traditional sound performances declined especially after independence, when modernization changed rural livelihood in Gogo-land. Some genres have completely disappeared, while others are still performed, adapting themselves to changing contexts.
Recently, there have been two major developments in Gogo sound organizations; the emergence of semi-professional sound groups, and the advent of church-based sound groups (especially women's groups). These two types of organized performing groups still preserve some distinctive characters of traditional Gogo sound culture, although there have been considerable changes in social contexts of performance. They are invited or hired to perform on various occasions, including weddings, funerals, political campaigns of the ruling party, church congregations, and communal rain-making ceremonies. Based on the fieldwork in a Gogo village, I examine the multiple roles played by these sound culture experts in a rural community, through the analysis of social contexts of their performance and song texts.
Paper short abstract:
The close relationship between <pop> and <folk> in the process of the creation of Mande pop music is important in understanding the nature of African sound cultures, a domain so rich and multidimensional that the classical division between <pop> and <folk> becomes hard to define.
Paper long abstract:
Today, all over the world, the globalization of pop music is an evidence. However, it is necessary to analyze the relationship between pop music and folk music, especially in Africa where the latter always inspires the former.
World Music appeared on the international music market in the mid-eighties. It was for the most part sophisticated music originated in the Third World and modified by modern technology. African pop music developed in Paris and London became the mainstream of the World Music phenomenon.
The case presented here is Mande pop music, a style which has greatly contributed to the development of World Music. This music mainly created by the <griot>, traditional singer-musician-narrator, offers us a perfect example of the way World Music is created. In Griot tradition, the musical skill is inherited from father to son, who in turn takes his chance in modern socio-economical circumstances. The Griot does not hesitate to transform an old folk song into a worldwide hit song with the most sophisticated technology, as is manifest in Mory Kante's mega-hit, <Ye Ke Ye Ke>, originally a folk song from Guinea.
This close relationship between <pop> and <folk> in the process of creation of Mande pop music allows us to understand the nature of African sound culture, a domain so rich and multidimensional that the classical division between <pop> and <folk> becomes hard to define.
Paper short abstract:
This presentation discusses the relationship between sound activities, religion and politics. A lamellophone called "mbira" is a symbol of indigenous politics and religion of the Shona, because it is played for spirit mediums who are the religious and political leaders of local communities.
Paper long abstract:
Mbira is a type of lamellophone which is popular in Zimbabwe. It is deeply concerned with ancestor worship among the Shona. The Shona pray for their ancestors while they play the mbira. Then the ancestor spirit possesses the medium and gives the people advice. Therefore mbira is thought as a sacred instrument and it is called 'the mbira of ancestors'.
Mbira is not only religious but also political sound instrument, because the spirit medium is a political leader of the community. The greatest spirit medium of the clan assures legitimacy of the chiefs. The medium also makes customary laws when some troubles happen in the community. Mbira is always played when the spirit medium is possessed and talks to the people.
This paper examines the relationship between mbira players and spirit mediums. The relationship influences the transmission or diffusion of the mbira culture. There is a case of mbira masters who were split after the death of a spirit medium called Birinaganire. For generations, the spirit only possesses women of the Nyandoro clan. After the death of former medium of Birinaganire in 2013, two women insisted that they were the next medium of Birinaganire. According to the Shona custom, it is impossible for there to be two mediums with the same spirit at the same time. But this occurrence caused a split of the mbira players. This case shows the complicated relationship between spirit mediums and mbira players.