Week 10 North American Native Traditions North America like South America has musical traditions that originate with: 1. Amerindian ethnic groups 2. European ethic groups 3. Black African and Creole groups All intermix and none have remained unaffected by the others. It is arguable that the mixing of black African and European has produce in jazz and blues the most universal musical idiom on earth today – it being the basis of western popular music Amerindian is the least known, least understood and least influential. Much of it dying with the loss of land and identity as the white man took over North America

Music in Amerindian Society Music played a significant role in Amerindian culture before contact with Europeans but only in the 20 th century has it been studied. Special role in Amerindian. Culture to maintain ethnic identity and provide a focal point for view of past. Intimately concerned with religion – most important element in worship and it rituals such as peer group societies and gambling games. Used to accompany dances, games, calendar rituals and life cycle events.

Uses of Music Music is used to symbolise and personalise supernatural power. Spirits gave power to humans beings by teaching them songs, and individual with supernatural associations had special musical powers. Shamanism and music go together. Accompaniment to ceremonies, prayer, and aid to religious experience. Music judged less by musical criteria than by how effective in religious functions and good in providing food, water, healing etc. Each tribe had a large repertoires of songs for all manner of event and function.

Music and Dance Closely related in Amerindian culture. Music accompanied dances in specific ceremonies. Dances serve to unite members of the community with each other, with ancestors, and with supernatural beings. Each tribe had own dances but typically they are circular and feature dignified frontal movement. - Steps, hand gestures and spatial designs have symbolic meaning. - Range of dress specific to dance. Dances may be musicians with rattles, or sewn-in sound creators. Musical structures reflect dance structures. Dances stop when all have completed a circuit of the dance ground.

Songs and Poetry Most poetry is sung. Structures closely linked. Verbalisations and non-lexical symbols that surround meaningful text is very common. Some song repertoires have no lexical text at all, and feature only syllable sequences. General lack of instrumental music – so songs fulfill both vocal and instrumental music. The songs are their own accompaniment – hence the large use of non lexical vocalisations. Few professional musicians, or specialists – female and male roles usually kept separate. Though they may join as distinct groups within songs. Some song types have a leader and a call and response form. In some there is scope for word improvisation by the leader but in many repertoires the words or non lexical textx are sacred and must be very accurately performed without any change.

Composition, Learning and Rehearsing Humans not the originators, but recipients of music imparted to tribe by spirits, either through dreams, visitations, or legendary time of tribes origin. Song learning accomplished by rote, and accuracy in some societies is greatly prized. A single lapse may invalidate the ritual and stable traditions may fail. Systematic musicianship is unusual and many societies learn just by rote copying and do so very fast. Learning and appreciating is done by direct experience and verbalising about music theory is rare. However clearly formed musical thought, values, aesthetics and concepts of musicianship are articulated by experienced singers. The ability to distinguish hundreds of similar songs in a narrow repertoire is highly developed. To an outsider they would all sound very much the same.

Tribes The tribal map of North America is complicated and is now dominated by reservations which may not conform to the original tribal location. There have been attempts to map the distribution of Amerindian musical styles. But there is only reliable information on about hundred out of many hundred groups. Plains, Eastern Woodlands, South West and California, Great Basin are basic divisions. Eastern woodlands – relaxed style, call and response, stomp dance, social gatherings Plains – high piercing style with falsetto. Melodic line starting at top and descending. Percussive accompaniment, powwow. Great Basin – open and relaxed style, brief melodies and small ranges. Ghost dances.

Example of the Pueblo and Navaho Pueblo tribal groupings of Southwest and California. Pueblos style - open and relaxed style of singing in lower part of vocal range. Long complex melodies, ceremonial songs performed by large choruses in blended monophony. Scales are pentatonic, hexatonic and heptatonic with intervals of approx. major second. Poetry focuses on water imagery, spirit beings. Mix of lexical texts and vocables. Rhythmically complex Navaho singers cultivate a tense,nasal vocal style emphasing upper and middle vocal range and falsetto. Group songs in unblended monophony. Variety of melodic contours. Navaho perform during curing ceremonies to restore balance and harmony within person who is ill. Songs re-enact episodes from Creation stories and may include hundreds of songs over several days

Instuments Great variety of percussion. Especially Idiophones that vibrate when struck, shaken, rubbed or plucked. Log drums and rattles are common. Membraphones are widely used – single headed frame drum most common. Main melodic are flutes. Almost no chordophones. Others provide tone-colours only, or imitate nature – bull-roarer. Many induce shamanistic trance.

Developments through contact with Europeans All traditions have continually changed – adapting historic repertoires to new social realities. Big effect of tourism in 20 th century. Selecting and promoting styles and forms that conform to European tastes and expectations. Peyote music – since 19 th century and development of religious cult surrounding chewing of peyote. From south (Mexico and Texas) it spread north and had base in Oklahoma. Native American Church. Sacred visions, all-night worship, prayer and singing. Water drum. Ghost dance religion. Spread in 19 th century from plains to other areas.

Eskimo Music Same basic Mongoloid stock that predominates in Eastern and Northern Asia – same as other Amerindian groups. Huge territory very sparsely inhabited. Song culture with repertoires for many purposes. Dances, games, lullabies, stories, healing, hunting, songs of derision an important form of contest and conflict resolution. Most important instrument is the frame drum – often used communally – often struck with a stick. Some songs are very restricted in notes (some only 2) and rhythms (straight 2/4). Others up to 5 note scales and more complex metres. Throat games, breathing, inhalation and exhalation an important part of many songs.