Oceania – The Power of the Voice

1. Oceania – The Power of the Voice Music 1100 By Dr. Made Mantle Hood

2. 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

3. 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’

4. 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

5. Hawaii: brief history

6. 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

7. Hawaii Demystified: Fantasies and Stereotypes V.S. Knowledge and Understanding HULA pretty girl, grass skirt VS. poetry in movement ALOHA ‘bye-bye’ VS. admiration/love BIG KAHUNA the Boss VS. ritual priest TABOO ‘no-no’ VS. social regulation

8. Three layers of Traditional Society 1. chiefs/priests 2. commoners 3. 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.

9. 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

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

11. 5 types of mele – from sacred to secular 1. Prayers dedicated to gods ex. Pele god of volcano 2. genealogical chants for chiefs and priests to strengthen the positions 3. name songs chants that name and honor and individual ex. King Kalakau 4. ‘love making’ chants symbolism and poetic metaphor ex. Flowers, rainfall 5. informal chants – welcoming of guests, spontaneously composed

12. 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

13. 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.

14. Micronesia and Popular Music • All islands have forms of pop music • Guitar, keyboard, and brass abound

15. 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

16. 1900’s German and Japanese occupation of all of Micronesia Germans bring harmonicas and button accordions Japanese 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Choral Music: the Samoan Example Samoan Choral Songs - secular Poetry, 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

20. Samoan Hymnal Music - sacred religious 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

21. 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.