Whatcanmusictellusabouthowsocietiesrelatetotheirnaturalenvironments?

NateRenner
ThreecasestudiesinJapan
Japaneseimperialsongs,calledgunkaandkouka(circa.19ti8circa.1945)
iyomante;thebearsacrificeceremonyoftheformerlycolonizedAinupeoplewhoare
indigenoustonorthernJapan
AinumusicincontextsforenvironmentalactivisminpresentdayJapan
Japan,priorto1868
notamodernnationstate
culturallydistinct,regionalclans
peoplefarmed(forthemselves/communities)
diverseregionalmusicaltraditions
o mostrootedinlocalshintopractices(animistic,naturalgods)
ex.taikodrumming
o somehaverootsinaestheticBuddhistpractices
ex.narrativesinging,whichinfluencedkabuki
Japan,after1868
becomesamodernnationstate
MeijiRestorationrevivestheideaofanEmperor,supportedbyanoligarchy
peoplefarm,workinfactories,anddobusinesstosupporttheEmpire
bordersoftheEmpireexpand
o peopleexpectedtofightforJapan
o peopleexpectedtohelpusenaturalresourcesforindustry(esp.weapons
manufacturing)
HowdoesJapanmobilizeitspopulationtosupportImperialexpansionandresourceextraction?
Gunkaandkoukasongs
militarysongandschoolsongrespectively
patrioticsongs,commissionedanddistributedbygovttounifythepopulation
carefulmixofJapaneseandWesternsounds
familiarJapanesescales
o Westernized
meter
unisonchoralsinging(asopposedtosolovoicewithimprov.asinmuch
nativeJapanesemusic)
Umiyukaba(IfIgoawaytothesea)
Umiyukaba
Mizukukabane
Yamayukaba
Kusamusukabane
Okiminohenikososhiname

Kaerimiwaseji
IfIgoawaytothesea,
Ishallbeacorpsewashedup.
IfIgoawaytothemountain,
Ishallbeacorpseinthegrass
ButifIdiefortheEmperor,
Itwillnotbearegret.
Gunkaandkoukasongs
musically(andintermsofcontext):strictmeterandvocaluniformityimposeorderand
obedience
lyrically,naturalfeaturesofEastAsiaequatedwiththeEmperorhimself
inspireJapanesepeopletofightevendietoprotectnotonlytheirlocalsurroundingsbut
alsothedistantcoloniesoftheEmpire.
MeanwhileinHokkaido
Ainupeople
indigenoustonorthernmainlandJapan,Hokkaido,Sakhalin,Kuriles,andotherislands
huntergatherers
consideredprimitivebyJapaneseoligarchy
HokkaidoFormerAboriginesProtectionAct(1899)forcedAinutofarmandprohibited
languageandmusicinpublic
struggledtokeepmusicandculturaltraditionsaliveinthefaceofJapanesecolonization
Iyomante(bearsending)ceremony
bearsacrifice
bearcubwasbelievedtobeavisitinggod
o treatedwithrespect,fedhumanfooduntiladulthood
o entertainedwithsinginganddancing
o rituallykilled
o celebrationwithsinginganddancing
Iyomante(bearsending)ceremony
Musically(andintermsofdance):
o participatory(noprofessionals)
o individualfreedom
Socially:
o bringspeopletogethertocelebratenature,thelocalenvironment
o facilitatesthedistributionoffoodandotheressentialmaterialsamongvillagers
o attractsmorevisitinggods(animals)
EnvironmentalandantinuclearactivisminpresentdayJapan
TheFukushimaDaiichinucleardisaster
Isnuclearpowersafe?

o Whycontinuedreliance,development,andexportationofnucleartechnology?
Whatresponsibilitydohumanshavetoeachother?Tonature?
o Whydoesthecurrentgovernmentputtheeconomyaheadofhumanandnon
humanlife?

Environmentalistsinsearchofanalternativeapproachtonature
Ainumusicis:
o viewedasawindowintothecultureofanindigenoussociety
o appealingforitsassociationswithnature
o participatory
OkiKano
Ainumusician
Environmentalist
o movedfromTokyoareatoHokkaidoinordertodiscoverhisAinuroots
o proponentoftheslowlife,analternativelifestyleinJapan(doesnthaveatv)

revivedthetonkori
o anancientAinuinstrument
o zither,usuallywith5strings

OHMAgrock
Annualantinuclearthemedfestival
o protesttheOHMAnuclearplantinAomori,Japan
o outdoors,nearthenuclearplant
o solarpoweredstage
Questionformydissertation
WhatdocontextsforenvironmentalismaccomplishforAinumusicians?
workforAinupeople
increasedawarenessofAinuculture
controlofhowAinucultureispresented
collaborationbetweenAinuandnonAinupeopleoverissuesthatconcernboth
avoiceinJapanesepolitics
Questionforyoutodiscussintutorial
Canmusicinfluencepeopletointeractwiththeirenvironmentsinspecificways?
Basedonwhatweknowsofar
isthecontextformodernAinumusicmorelike:
o peoplebeingcoercedtosinggunkaandkouka?
o peoplecelebratingthebearwiththeiyomante?
howdoaudiencemembersparticipateinthemusic?
howisnaturereferenced?