Songs once destined for extinction will be heard on mobile telephones and will bridge the divide between ancient traditions and youth culture
By Jeff Lee, Vancouver SunApril 13, 2009
Tewanee Joseph sees unique ring tones bridging traditions.
Photograph by: Ward Perrin, Vancouver Sun files, Vancouver Sun
For more than 100 years, Christian priests in the north banned Inuit women from practising the ancient art of throat-singing.
Like many aspects of aboriginal or Inuit culture and customs, the guttural, rhythmic duets by the women of the north were in danger of being forgotten.
But now, with the help of the Four Host First Nations, throat-singing and a lot of other native songs are literally about to ring out all over the world.
Later this month, the FHFN will upload onto its website several electronic files of Inuit throat-singers that people can download as ring tones for their mobile phones.
It's not just Inuit songs that will be available.
By Jeff Lee, Vancouver SunApril 13, 2009
Tewanee Joseph sees unique ring tones bridging traditions.
Photograph by: Ward Perrin, Vancouver Sun files, Vancouver Sun
For more than 100 years, Christian priests in the north banned Inuit women from practising the ancient art of throat-singing.
Like many aspects of aboriginal or Inuit culture and customs, the guttural, rhythmic duets by the women of the north were in danger of being forgotten.
But now, with the help of the Four Host First Nations, throat-singing and a lot of other native songs are literally about to ring out all over the world.
Later this month, the FHFN will upload onto its website several electronic files of Inuit throat-singers that people can download as ring tones for their mobile phones.
It's not just Inuit songs that will be available.
The lyrical fiddle jigs of the Metis, drums of British Columbia first
nations, ceremonial songs of the Cree and even contemporary aboriginal
blues and rock 'n' roll will be available as ring tone downloads.
The idea is the brainchild of Tewanee Joseph, executive director of the FHFN, and several others who see the unique ring tones as a way of bridging the divide between the traditions of first people and youth.
"You have to remember that 60 per cent of aboriginal population in Canada is under the age of 30," Joseph said. "What we want to do is drive pride in our culture, and this is one way of doing it."
The Four Host First Nations secretariat represents the four bands upon whose traditional territory the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games are being held.
A decade ago the four bands -- the Musqueam, Squamish, Lil'wat and Tsleil-Waututh -- set aside their competing claims and agreed to work together to support and benefit from the Olympics.
The group has also become the representative for other aboriginal, Inuit and Metis groups in Canada that want to benefit from the Olympics.
The music of Canada's aboriginal peoples is not easy to come by. Distribution is small, and many singers and music bands, unable to attract the attention of large music chains, resort to selling their CDs one by one at community hall functions, Joseph said.
"About the only way to get aboriginal music is out of the trunk of someone's car," he said.
So putting songs out in free downloadable 30-second ring tones is seen as a major coup, he explained.
Joseph and the FHFN developed the first ring tone last year. With the help of Squamish nation singers and drummers it recorded a "Chief's Honour Song" which it then put on a Bell BlackBerry that it gave to Chief Phil Fontaine at his induction as the head of the Assembly of First Nations.
"You should have seen his face when the phone rang," said Joseph, who has the same ring tone on his phone. "He was really pleased."
The first batch of ring tones to be uploaded will be small, perhaps half a dozen or so.
But by the time of the 2010 Games, Joseph expects upwards of 100 songs will have been recorded and installed on www.fourhostfirstnations.com. The downloads will also be available on YouTube and Facebook.
To make sure they don't violate clan privacy issues, each representative band will vet the songs before submitting them to the group. Songs meant for funerals, weddings and closed ceremonies wouldn't be used, Joseph said.
He also wants to develop ring tones featuring aboriginal comedians.
"Indians have a great sense of humour. We're looking to feature some of the 'Indianisms' if you want to call them that. We want to be playful with these."
So just what is Inuit throat-singing? It's hard to describe, even for those who have heard it. It usually involves two women standing face to face. One sets up a rhythm of guttural sounds that start deep in the throat and are aided by the diaphragm. The other singer responds with a similar but offsetting series.
Joseph said that to him, it sounds like "a type of growling" that is hypnotic. There are several examples already on YouTube.
The secretariat is also using YouTube and FaceBook as a way of finding aboriginal musical talent for the pavilion it is building for the Games. Joseph said band and individual singers can upload samples of their work to the FHFN.
"We'll listen to it, jury it and select a finalist. The first music we will play at the pavilion will come from this process," he said.
jefflee@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
The idea is the brainchild of Tewanee Joseph, executive director of the FHFN, and several others who see the unique ring tones as a way of bridging the divide between the traditions of first people and youth.
"You have to remember that 60 per cent of aboriginal population in Canada is under the age of 30," Joseph said. "What we want to do is drive pride in our culture, and this is one way of doing it."
The Four Host First Nations secretariat represents the four bands upon whose traditional territory the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games are being held.
A decade ago the four bands -- the Musqueam, Squamish, Lil'wat and Tsleil-Waututh -- set aside their competing claims and agreed to work together to support and benefit from the Olympics.
The group has also become the representative for other aboriginal, Inuit and Metis groups in Canada that want to benefit from the Olympics.
The music of Canada's aboriginal peoples is not easy to come by. Distribution is small, and many singers and music bands, unable to attract the attention of large music chains, resort to selling their CDs one by one at community hall functions, Joseph said.
"About the only way to get aboriginal music is out of the trunk of someone's car," he said.
So putting songs out in free downloadable 30-second ring tones is seen as a major coup, he explained.
Joseph and the FHFN developed the first ring tone last year. With the help of Squamish nation singers and drummers it recorded a "Chief's Honour Song" which it then put on a Bell BlackBerry that it gave to Chief Phil Fontaine at his induction as the head of the Assembly of First Nations.
"You should have seen his face when the phone rang," said Joseph, who has the same ring tone on his phone. "He was really pleased."
The first batch of ring tones to be uploaded will be small, perhaps half a dozen or so.
But by the time of the 2010 Games, Joseph expects upwards of 100 songs will have been recorded and installed on www.fourhostfirstnations.com. The downloads will also be available on YouTube and Facebook.
To make sure they don't violate clan privacy issues, each representative band will vet the songs before submitting them to the group. Songs meant for funerals, weddings and closed ceremonies wouldn't be used, Joseph said.
He also wants to develop ring tones featuring aboriginal comedians.
"Indians have a great sense of humour. We're looking to feature some of the 'Indianisms' if you want to call them that. We want to be playful with these."
So just what is Inuit throat-singing? It's hard to describe, even for those who have heard it. It usually involves two women standing face to face. One sets up a rhythm of guttural sounds that start deep in the throat and are aided by the diaphragm. The other singer responds with a similar but offsetting series.
Joseph said that to him, it sounds like "a type of growling" that is hypnotic. There are several examples already on YouTube.
The secretariat is also using YouTube and FaceBook as a way of finding aboriginal musical talent for the pavilion it is building for the Games. Joseph said band and individual singers can upload samples of their work to the FHFN.
"We'll listen to it, jury it and select a finalist. The first music we will play at the pavilion will come from this process," he said.
jefflee@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
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