Aboriginal Music – Tyla Hall
Introduction
Music is an important aspect of Australian Aboriginal culture. It is embedded into the Aboriginal lifestyle from a young age and is used to “teach what must be known about their culture, about their place in it, and about its place in the world of nature and super nature” (Telford, n.d). It is also used to accompany cultural and spiritual ceremonies related to the dreamtime (Queensland Studies Authority, 2008). This essay will examine how music is used to accompany these ceremonies in Aboriginal culture.
History and Culture
In order to understand the significance of music in relation to these ceremonies, it is important to look at their history and culture first. Indigenous Australians arrived in …show more content…
Music and song have remained an essential part of Aboriginal culture and ceremonies for generations. Traditionally, songs will be different melodically, rhythmically, and instrumentally in different areas but usually the themes of the songs are quite similar (Australian Government , 2015). Music is primarily vocal and singing is used in most social situations within a community and also to accompany ceremonies. Some common ceremonies are the initiation of boys and girls into adulthood and funeral or mourning ceremonies. An initiation event will take place over a period of a few weeks and includes singing, dancing and story telling (Welch, 2015) and funeral ceremonies involve special dances and wailing songs (Jones, 1983). Within this culture, the Aboriginal people have a strong spiritual connection to the land and the dreamtime, many songs and ceremonies have a link to the sacred ancestral beings that formed the earth. The chants, songs, dances and ritual action are a way for the aboriginal people to share their knowledge among the tribe and to summon the ancestral being to ensure a good supply of food or rain (Welch, 2015). Traditional music can be split into three categories, sacred and secret, semi-sacred and entertainment music. The first category comprises of songs that are used only for very specific ceremonies connected with a totemic ancestor, they are only known and witnessed by initiated men. Although women have their own form of secret ceremonies usually associated with reproduction. Semi-sacred songs are usually performed by men whilst women dance and are usually associated with initiation ceremonies on specific sacred ground. Entertainment music can be performed by anyone and are used for public events. (Aboriginal Art Online, n.d
Introduction
Music is an important aspect of Australian Aboriginal culture. It is embedded into the Aboriginal lifestyle from a young age and is used to “teach what must be known about their culture, about their place in it, and about its place in the world of nature and super nature” (Telford, n.d). It is also used to accompany cultural and spiritual ceremonies related to the dreamtime (Queensland Studies Authority, 2008). This essay will examine how music is used to accompany these ceremonies in Aboriginal culture.
History and Culture
In order to understand the significance of music in relation to these ceremonies, it is important to look at their history and culture first. Indigenous Australians arrived in …show more content…
Music and song have remained an essential part of Aboriginal culture and ceremonies for generations. Traditionally, songs will be different melodically, rhythmically, and instrumentally in different areas but usually the themes of the songs are quite similar (Australian Government , 2015). Music is primarily vocal and singing is used in most social situations within a community and also to accompany ceremonies. Some common ceremonies are the initiation of boys and girls into adulthood and funeral or mourning ceremonies. An initiation event will take place over a period of a few weeks and includes singing, dancing and story telling (Welch, 2015) and funeral ceremonies involve special dances and wailing songs (Jones, 1983). Within this culture, the Aboriginal people have a strong spiritual connection to the land and the dreamtime, many songs and ceremonies have a link to the sacred ancestral beings that formed the earth. The chants, songs, dances and ritual action are a way for the aboriginal people to share their knowledge among the tribe and to summon the ancestral being to ensure a good supply of food or rain (Welch, 2015). Traditional music can be split into three categories, sacred and secret, semi-sacred and entertainment music. The first category comprises of songs that are used only for very specific ceremonies connected with a totemic ancestor, they are only known and witnessed by initiated men. Although women have their own form of secret ceremonies usually associated with reproduction. Semi-sacred songs are usually performed by men whilst women dance and are usually associated with initiation ceremonies on specific sacred ground. Entertainment music can be performed by anyone and are used for public events. (Aboriginal Art Online, n.d