Last week we started our musical journey here in the Unites
States discovering the many symbols, meanings, and stories associated with the
drum played by the Native Americans. Each individual we mentioned had a
different story, a different connection to the instrument they played. This
week our excursion brings us 6000 miles west of the United States to American
Samoa where we will look at another member of the international percussion
family..the pātē !
A little info about American Samoa in case you were wondering
! It is considered to be an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the
United States and has a population of just 55,000. There are four islands that
make up the territory: Tutuila, Manu'a, Rosa Atoll, and Swains. The largest
island, Tutuila, is known popularly as the Rock. What draws people to this
beautiful part of the world are its beaches, coral reefs, World War II relics,
and it's abundance of sporting activities. If you're into scuba diving,
snorkeling, and hiking American Samoa is clearly the place to be !
Aside from the gorgeous views from the beach, underwater
adventures, and its historical place in the war effort in World War II,
American Samoa has a very distinct musical culture. The voice has always been an integral part of Samoan musical
culture since singers reflect every emotion through the past, present, and
sometimes the near future accompanied by the uniqueness of the pate. The
best part of this musical culture is the pate, a hollowed out log drum that
comes in various sizes. The larger the size is of the pātē, the lower the sound
is. If you really put them side by side it sort of looks like the Matryoshka
doll, or nesting doll for those of us that don't speak Russian. Although there
are only a few instruments relative to the Samoan culture, each of these served
a significant purpose in storytelling and dance. With no written language prior
to the arrival of the Europeans the pātē told the many stories and legends
through song and dance. Dancers complemented the pate by adding to the rhythm
by clapping their hands in a variety of hand motions.
Today though, the pātē is not primarily used for the telling
of stories or for dance. This instrument constantly accompanies a new popular
instrument in Samoa, the ukulele (the mini-guitar as I like to call it). You’ll
be able to see just how well both of these work together in producing a fusion
of traditional and modern music !
Though our stay in Samoa was short, stay
tuned next week for our journey to Australia where we visit the Indigenous
Australians. Leave your coat at home and don’t forget to bring a LARGE bottle
of sunscreen and H2O. ‘Till next time !
If you want to know more about not only American Samoa, but
the Samoa islands and its impressive history and culture check out joegault’s
blog.
Or if you’re even more curious check out this video about
the pātē !
What's kind of this musical ? :(
ReplyDeleteLook like a stick.