BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

     


For this blog I first chose to learn something about Korea’s musical culture. I found one type of music that is a big part of Korean culture is Shamanic music. This music is mainly used in religious and spiritual ceremonies. Shamanic music has multiple different types of instruments that accompany it. First there is always a small, flat gong with a rim. There is also a percussion instrument called the Changgo. It is an hourglass-shaped, two headed drum that is struck by your hand and mallet on the other side. Some other instruments that might be played are flutes, fiddles, reeds, and even other types of gongs and drums. Alongside the instruments being played there is a combination of simultaneous voices. Below I provided a video to show one Shamanic Ritual where this music is shown. 





    
        I also chose to take a look at the musical culture of Japan. I specifically found a dance called Kabuki. This specific type of dance is called a ‘dance drama’ which incorporates dancing, singing, acting and art. This type of dance is mostly performed at theaters throughout the country. This dance is made to tell a story and give the audience an authentic insight into some aspects of Japanese culture. The dancers will often wear traditional Kimonos and carry fans to dance with. In the video I linked below these two Kabuki dancers used a shaker along with fans to perform their dance.

    

        Lastly I chose to talk about an instrument from Kazakhstan called the Dombyra. This instrument is extremely popular in Kazakhstan. Some call it the “Musical Soul” of Kazakhstan. The Dombyra is a lute-like instrument with only two strings. The strings come down a very long neck where they end at a pear shaped body. The instrument itself can remind you of a guitar. The Dombyra is such a big part of their national identity there is a saying that says “A real Kazakh is not a Kazakh, a real Kazakh is a dombra”. The video below shows a group of people playing Dombras and singing.





Work Cited


“Court Instrumental Music.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/Korean-music/Court-instrumental-music.

“The Dombyra: The Kazakh's Musical Soul.” Folkways Today, 20 Jan. 2021, https://folkways.today/dombyra-kazakh-instrument/.

says:, Tonton, et al. “The Many Types of Traditional Music and Dance Celebrated in Japan!” Japan Info, https://jpninfo.com/14649#:~:text=Kabuki%20is%20perhaps%20one%20of,are%20many%20in%20the%20country. 

Comments

  1. Beuanna TylerMay 9, 2022 at 12:39 AM

    I enjoyed the Kabuki video! Their outfits and dance movements were so pretty. The dancing reminded me of certain Indian types of dances that also involve telling a story. I think it is a very intriguing part of their culture. Wonderful job! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Daishaque WhitesideMay 16, 2022 at 6:04 PM

    I like the video about the Shamanic ritual. I really do enjoy learning about these different cultures and use them as ways to connect with religion that different from how we do things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Zay DonaldMay 17, 2022 at 11:20 AM

    I enjoyed reading your blog. This blog was very informative. Something that caught my attention was where you talked about Shamanic music. It was nice learning about how this music is used for religious and spiritual ceremonies.

    ReplyDelete

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