AUSTRALIAN TRADITIONAL MUSIC

A work by Marina Montes

INDEX

1. INTRODUCTION.2. CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT.3. DANCING.4. INSTRUMENTS.

1.DIDGERIDOO2.WIND INSTRUMENTS3.CLAPSTICKS4.DRUMS

5. SONGS.6. SIMILARITIES.7. PERSONAL OPINION.8. BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

I’m going to talk about the Australian/Aborigen music because I think it’s very interesting as they had no influence of any other countries because they were way too far, so it’s unique.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT

-Places where found: Australia and nearest islands-Racial facts: As far as Africans are concerned, the Australian Aborigines, Trobian Islanders and Melasesians are all part of the protohistoric African Diaspora. However, what we have is not a mere migration of people to Australia but a wide 'Black belt' that circled the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones even before the 'evolution' of African migrants to Europe and Asia and the gradual change due to climatic adaptation into Caucasiod and Mongolod (sic) 'races'.-Cultural facts: The entire area was peopled by the protohistoric Negroid racial type, which is what most Africans see Aboriginals and other Blacks in Asia and the Pacific as. Why, because there are tribes in Africa who have features identical to the Australian Aborigines, the Trobian Islanders and the Melanesians. Also, there are cultural traits found in Africa that are also found in Australia and Melanesia, India and other places.

DANCING

It’s a unique aspect of ceremonies which is learnt and passed down by generations. To dance is to be knowledgeable about the stories of the ancestral heroes. It was learnt at a pretty early age. This allows large groups of people to demonstrate their clan rights in front of an audience.

Dance is also seen as an entertainment and used to show love to the families, that’s why they sometimes perform at the end of the day in some comunities.

INSTRUMENTAL1.THE DIDGERIDOO

2.WIND INSTRUMENTS

3.CLAPSTICKS

4.DRUMS

THE DIDGERIDOO

It’s maybe the most recognizable instrument. It is probably the oldest wind instrument in the history.It’s made by branches and trunks of trees that have been scooped out.It’s likely used in ceremonies.It’s probably the most important non-percussed instrument in the Aboriginal culture.The sound of this instrument is a deep note that changes its pattern by accents produced by the tongue and cheeks.It’s used to reproduce sounds of the nature.Continuous breathing.

WIND INSTRUMENTS

Even tho the didgeridoo is the most important, it’s known that they used bones and rush (junco) whistles and even whistles made by twisted leaves to produce sounds.

Other instrument related to the didgeridoo is the LLPIRRA which is also called the Australian Trumpet.

CLAPSTICKS

Percussion is the base of the instrumentation.They’re more common than wind ones.The clapsticks are pretty common, where one flat stick hits another rounded one which makes sounds.The boomerang, which is known because of its hunting use, is used too as an instrument, where they hit it with the palm of

the hand.

DRUMS

There are two different types:-A clocked-sized drum made by lizard skin which is the principal and the one that is more heard

-Convenient drums made by cow skin which surround the principal one

SONGS

Aborigen popular musicians tend not to write straight love songs. They are more likely to write about subjects important to their communities, such as land and community issues as well as protest songs.

They usually use more the instruments than their voices but that depends of what they’re singing about and the community they are located.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFGvNxBqYFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_6O2Rxzc-E

SIMILARITIES

They don’t have any similaritie because they are way too far from everywhere else so nobody has had the opportunity to influence them.We could say that they’re unique.

PERSONAL OPINION

About the work itself:

I found this class work pretty interesting because it is the one i chose and I learnt a lot about those weird instruments they had and used and I’ve gotten informed of a very rich culture which is completely different to ours and that has made this a wonderful experience.I made all this work with pleasure knowing that I was learning something I liked.

PERSONAL OPINION

About Aboriginal music:

I think that it’s not sad that we’re losing our roots, it’s called evolution, and of course we have to lose them. Are we still walking all force? We need to evolucionate, it’s important to keep improving our lives and getting more knowledge.And I also think that people who work at saving historical things will do their best to keep that things, but we don’t have to keep dancing to the gods for a storm because our plants are dying, we don’t have that need nowadays because we know that he’s ain’t gonna save us and we have other methods to make it work. I guess some people get stuck on the past but that’s not really good, we have to go on.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM8tmVroEgghttp://www.viajesoceania.com/musica-en-australia/http://www.ehowenespanol.com/instrumentos-ceremoniales-usados-tribus-aborigenes-info_189288/https://41.media.tumblr.com/3f5791cf590019243293bd8c7956070d/tumblr_nmt06jo5n91qhjou9o1_500.jpghttp://www.raceandhistory.com/Science/AboriginesOrigin2.htmhttp://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-indigenous-ceremonyGoogle imagesTumblr imageshttp://www.wordreference.com/Google translator

Hope you liked it