Oceania – The Power of the Voice

Music 1100

By Dr. Made Mantle Hood

Oceania – The Power of the Voice

• The voice and sung text found throughout Oceania are the crucial musical determinants of cultural identity. From traditional chants, to church hymns and popular music, the voice is paramount.

• - Hawaii and traditional chant• - Micronesia and popular music• - Polynesia and choral music

Brief Historical Background:

- 25,000 islands from tiny specks of coral to the Australian continent

- only 1,500 are inhabited totaling around 30 million people

- hundreds of dialects and languages- 4 geographic groups

1. Australia ‘southern land’2. Melanesia ‘black islands’3. Micronesia ‘small islands’4. Polynesia ‘many islands’

Brief Historical Background:

Colonies in Common:• European colonialism from countries such

as Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands abolished indigenous chiefdoms and local social structures

• As a result the performing arts, music and dance are an amalgamation of Christian hymns, popular tunes and an pan-Oceanic expression of Voice.

• One of the most famous islands is HAWAII

Hawaii: brief history

Hawaii Background:• Hawaii: brief history• 8 islands, hundreds of atolls• 650 A.D. migrants inhabit from Polynesia• 1778 first western contact from British• 1820 christian missionaries arrive, 5

years later complete conversion• 1898 American businessmen overthrow

Hawaiian monarchy• 1959 becomes USA’s 50th state

Hawaii Demystified:Fantasies and Stereotypes

V.S.Knowledge and Understanding

HULA pretty girl, grass skirt VS. poetry in movement

ALOHA ‘bye-bye’ VS. admiration/loveBIG KAHUNA the Boss VS. ritual priestTABOO ‘no-no’ VS. social regulation

Three layers of Traditional Society1. chiefs/priests

2. commoners3. slaves

Social order maintained through Power and Prohibition

Power (mana) – sacred power in animate and inanimate objects. volcano, ocean, trees, flowers,music, dance

priests and cheifs.

Prohibition (kapu) – rituals and prohibitions designed to uphold ‘island’ social order to avoid exhausted communal and natural resources. Example Rapa Nui

Power of the Voice:Hula performance is strongly connected to:– prayers to gods– genealogy and fertility chants– welcoming and songs of admiration

Mele:

Poetic texts as the basis of ALL music and dance performanceMele oli – sung chant alone (unmetered)Mele hula– sung chant with dance (metered)

5 types of mele – from sacred to secular

1. Prayers dedicated to gods ex. Pele god of volcano2. genealogical chants for chiefs and priests to

strengthen the positions3. name songs chants that name and honor and

individual ex. King Kalakau4. ‘love making’ chants symbolism and poetic

metaphor ex. Flowers, rainfall5. informal chants – welcoming of guests,

spontaneously composed

VIDEO Example:Holo Mai Pele – a Hawaiian creation myth

with chant and hula

Scene 1 – Dance class where teacher shows movements of canoe

Scene 2 – Pele, goddess of volcano destroys and creates the land

Scene 3 – Performance with chanters playing gourds in the background and 20 dancers

Summary Hawaii:• After cultural genocide, Christian

missionaries, and international tourist trade, Hawaii is experiencing an on-going Cultural Renaissance

• The Voice and sung chant are leading the way.

Micronesia and Popular Music

• All islands have forms of pop music• Guitar, keyboard, and brass

abound

Brief Historical Background:

• 1668 Spain conquers Guam and Mariana islands

• 1800 North American Protestant missionaries introduce church hymns

• International Whalers bring western instruments such as guitars, ukuleles, mandolins and banjos

1900’s German and Japanese occupation of all of MicronesiaGermans bring harmonicas and button accordionsJapanese songs and language are integrated into local music

1945 Post-war Micronesian Music:- administered by U.S. government- U.S. military radio, ‘Bob Hope’ shows and touring military bands all influence local music- enterprising islanders make bands, entertain troops

1950’s Urban v.s. Rural• Mariana Islands and Guam:

• - the Charfauros Brothers, Candido and Johnny Sablan

• - growing toursit market, hotels and nightclubs

• - singing in English

• Chuuk, Palau and Yap islands:• - 1 radio station, limited instruments• - singing in local language and dialects

• 1970’s Tourism, Reggae and Rap• Japanese tourists create demand for

popular music • Groups like the Sunshine Kids, Mike Di

Amore Jazz Quartet have commercial success

• The ‘I Don’t Know Band’ develops Jamoan, a blend of Samoan and Jamaican reggae

• Listening example Rapa Nui Rap

Choral Music: the Samoan Example

Samoan Choral Songs - secularPoetry, descriptive and narrative that express opinions and feelings for certain occassions

• A volcano eruption• Military rebellion• Dedication of a church• Reverence of nature• The death of a loved one

Samoan Hymnal Music - sacredreligious service strictly performed within the confines of the church

• 4 part harmonies• Soprano, alto, tenor, bass• English and American hymns translated to

local samoan dialects• Accompaniment by organ or piano

Summary:Throughout Oceania it is the power of the

voice in all its forms from mele chant, to church hymns and popular music

that unites the peoples of Micro, Mela, Polynesia.