Sorry about the video quality, it's the best I could find. Start watching at 0:30 :)
This week I really wasn't sure what type of folk/oral knowledge I was going to post about. I was singing a song, like I usually am, and it hit me... Why not do a post on singing?! I think just about everyone sings at some point in their life, and people in history has, so I'd say that makes it a pretty substantial piece of folk knowledge.
According to many historians, early humans "sang" before coherent language was developed. Singing in the sense that they expressed their emotions vocally rather than their thoughts through conventional speech. It is also viewed as the original musical instrument, because all other music was based on discoveries made with the human voice.
 |
| A painting of the Hopi diety "Spider Woman" who sang to give life to the people |
The practice of singing is so intertwined with the development of human history that it has been woven into the creation stories of many cultures, like this one of the Hopi people of the American Southwest that I found particularly interesting because the act of singing was actually what gave life to the people. (On a side note this reminds me of an earlier post by Montana that also referenced a type of creation legend.)
Singing has always been a really big part of my life. Whether it was wanting to sing the "Jesus Wants Me for a SunBEAM" song in primary so I could jump out of my chair, or when I wanted to be a Backstreet Boy when I was 8; or whether I'm singing to myself in the shower, or performing in front of hundreds of people I love doing it. It's such a natural expression of human emotion that has been passed down since our very beginnings through all different cultures. Its purposes have been for pleasure and for piety, for lamenting and lauding, to express freedom and fealty, and to accomplish all this it has been passed down by example. I believe this makes singing one of the most expansive and important types of folk (or oral for that matter) knowledge there are.
Singing is definitely a way of expressing emotion and feeling. I know that for myself there are certain types of singing that I like to listen to depending on my mood. When I am not happy I like to listen to music that helps me to feel pumped up because it helps me to be happier and more interested in what is around me.
ReplyDeleteI personally am not a fan of singing. I learned to play the piano when I was 4 and as far as musical talent, it stops at me playing the music for people who sing. Personally, I can put so much more expression and emotion into what I play rather than what I can sing.
ReplyDeleteBut it definitely is inspiring and magnificent when I am able to witness someone that can essentially put their whole soul in a song. There's just so much history of how important singing is. Like in court during the medieval times, singers were always sought for. Reminds me of in Lord of the Rings when Denethor has Pippin sing him a song while eating. One of my favorite scenes since this is when Denethor realizes what a tight-up jerk he's been.
But singing definitely has proven to be of significant importance throughout history in both entertainment and enlightenment.
I love to sing! ...too bad that I'm not any good at it. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I liked your post. Singing can be a powerful tool in art, learning, worship and expression. No wonder it's been such an important part of so many cultures!
I think that the songs that are taught/learned are more important than actually learning to sing "well." The important part about singing is the message that is taught and the feelings expressed. That's why we encourage everyone to sing in church, even if they sound terrible! (like me...)