History and Change in Blackfoot Indian Music Culture
Change
Origin
Music
- Blackfoot Mythology doesn't contain a specific indication of an origin of music.
- Napi "Old Man" is the creator or supernatural being.
- Created objects of nature like landscapes and natural processes like death, war and clothes.
- Focus not on creation of the world but on important cultural aspects like rituals, and ceremonies.
- Concerned with items of music and songs but not the origin or how music was made.
"Now, If you overcome you may go and sleep, and get power. Something will come to you in your dream, that will help you. Whatever these animals tell you to do you must obey them. What ever animal answers your prayer, you must listen"
- Change-principally involves change in style, in technology and instruments, and in the way of producing sound (pg.82)
- Change Today. Change is one of the supporting pillars for music in society today.
- Early 1980's great deal of musical change.
- Repertory was being expanded.
- New Instruments
- Social context of music was altered.
- Seeing that a society’s music is constantly changing doesn’t directly mean that that society considers change to be an important part of their musical culture.
Conclusion
- Sleep, dreams and visions are the window to supernatural songs.
- Help in times of need and trouble. Fill a specific need.
- Came in complete musical form. Did not evolve from speech.
- Whomever dreams the song regardless if it sounds the same as another they are creating it anew.
Change
Source
• It’s implied that there was a resistance to change in the Blackfoot society. The idea that history involves origin, and things thereafter remain obstinate shows the disapproval of change.
• McClintock study (before 1910) showed that the young people were uninterested in the older tribal traditions.
- Witmer’s study (1968) showed that the old men were a bit informed on ceremonial matters and wanted to maintain them.
- Some Blackfoot people recognized that change had taken place. changes in the social context of music, how many Indian pieces of music there were compared to white music, adapted western performance practices, technologies like amplification and recording
- Decline of older ceremonial repertories.
- Songs exist in cosmos. Labriously put together by humans.
- Eskimo songs suggest all songs were composed already. Makes songs by combining songs already existing.
- Pima, songs once dreamed must be untangled.
- Mythic presentation as songs provided by a non-human source in a form already developed.
- Songs dreamed because of hunger, self torture, and a guardian spirit
• The concept of change was new to them. Never had it been a concern.
• Change may have only been a recognized issue for them due to other culture changes that had become significant in their lives
• For them change may not have been something that is ongoing. More so seen as the addition and loss certain parts of music
- Stories of origins of cermonies tells songs being sung as if they were new.
- Mythologies include events in which songs were learned but never include learning process.
- Songs learned quickly and suddenly in one piece.
- No distinction of musical talent.
- Learning of songs a dangerous and exciting event.
- Learning of specific songs. Not songs or music in general. Song is of great importance. The way it is song doesnt matter.
• 20th century musical change somehow was coupled with the idea that the way of life also had to change.
• Musical change must have become an issue to thoughtful Blackfoot people.
- Music in dreams giving in final form. No need for further development.
- Completed songs.
- Songs of past not different from newer songs and older forms arent different from newer forms.
- Songs in tribe by Napi or from other people in the tribe who dreamed it.
- Songs learned not created.
- Culture learned not inborn or genetically determined.
- Song learning and teaching symbolizes transfer of power or knowledge.
- Mythology includes events in which song materials are combined in eclectically derived ceremonies.
- Songs are symbols of supernatural power,objects and concepts.
History of Blackfoot Music
Geographical Change Affects Music Culture
Changes in Blackfoot Music
- Cultural factors (way of life, belief system, etc.) affect conception of "history"
- Periodization in music history
- Change in direction of higher voices
- Performance practices
- Increase in women's participation
- General intertribal move away from ceremonial songs toward more popular social dance songs
- Blackfoot did NOT push for nativistic revival
- Preserved sound elements characteristic of tribe
- Trend toward Western/white conceptualization of composition of music and ensemble performance
Tribes with similar languages share musical similarities
Differences from
Plains Indians
2 Reactions to Western Culture by Plains Indians
1. "Simple Songs" (oldest form)
- Gambling Songs
2. Specific to Blackfoot Tribe
- Sun Dance
-Men's age-grading society songs
- Medicine Bundle Songs
3. Modern-traditional Social Dance Songs
- Common property of all Indians
- Popularized with powwow movement
1. Westernization: adopting central features of Western music and thereby becoming a new subdivision of Western musical culture
2. Modernization: adopting only certain aspects of Western culture necessary to the survival of the musical culture
- Traditional sounds and techniques remain
- Common to adopt Western performance practices
-New conceptions about source and function of music
- Avoided newer "Ghost Dance" and "Peyote" movements
- Maintained singular large body of songs, especially medicine bundle rituals
- Songs had small range
- Forms differing from "incomplete repitition" form
Based on this information, does the history of Blackfoot music trend more towards Westernized or modernized?