Researching Traditional Music Cultures: Youth as Ethnographers

• Main Authors: Peters, Valerie, Biliodeau, Marie-Hélène
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Scholarship@Western 2011
• Subjects: Music; Chisasibi; Elliott
• Online Access: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/lme/June1/Program/19

It is important to locate multi- and intercultural music education practices in the larger structures of society and within the local culture (Dodd, 2001; Ross, 1994-95). Curricular innovations need to present music as culture, as a form of human activity that requires active doing, a doer, something done, and a context (Elliott, 1989). Therefore, the current study proposes that students examine music cultures as situated, learned and taught, often by culture bearers, within a particular culture, reflecting the essential beliefs and values of that culture (Klinger, 1996). Also, the current study proposes to extend the research on youth identity formation to include the results of students studying the music of their own cultural heritage (Frith, 1987; Tarrant, North, & Hargreaves, 2002). This program of research proposes to investigate students’ understanding of their own musical heritage in the context of the local community surrounding the school and in collaboration with culture bearers (Klinger, 1996). This study offers a unique opportunity to understand how students construct their knowledge about their own music culture. In addition, the pedagogical strategies proposed are unique to music education classrooms. Students will act as researchers, using the tools of inquiry of ethnography (observation and interviews) in order to represent (in writing in a communal database, Knowledge Forum) their understanding of a local music culture by identifying concepts, beliefs and values embedded in cultural practices. The proposed research program will also investigate the link between cultural/ethnic identity and learning about one’s own musical heritage. Few studies have examined adolescents’ processes as they study musical practices embedded in social contexts (Peters, 2007). Purposeful sampling procedures have been used to identify two cases of special interest that have the potential to provide insight into the phenomenon that will be studied and to extend knowledge resulting from my thesis (Peters, 2007) to different geographic areas and different populations (Chisasibi, Cree Nation; Quebec City, French Canadian). Multiple case studies with different populations can provide rich information to inform best practices in multi- and intercultural music education linked to particular cultural contexts. This research paper will present preliminary data from one case study conducted in a secondary school in Quebec City during the 2010-2011 school year. The data will focus on how students construct and represent their understanding of their own music culture. A content analysis of the database entries allows the researcher to collect data on various aspects of the messages encoded in the communication product. Specifically, messages relating to how the students represent their own music culture and the concepts, beliefs and values that they perceive to be embedded in musical/cultural practices. Content analysis results in simple classifications or tabulations of specific information. Therefore, this presentation will focus on music’s role in shaping community and identity in connection with traditional music.