There should be consideration to establish a school of culture and music
By Nelson H U Boso,
Noro Town, Western Province
The revolution of the 60s need not remind us of the melodies that once hit the SIBS airwaves from Honiara broadcasting station.
Some people say we were neck to neck with the Fijian development, yet more pronounced than PNG and Vanuatu.
Today, it seems that other pacific islands have gained a higher place in the Pacific music scene.
The reasons for this could be easy to find maybe no incentives or public awareness for people to realize the slow decay of indigenous music especially in Roviana through lack of proper recording facilities, proper instruments, etc., lack of curriculum in schools, the increasing interest of locals especially our kids in other countries songs and genres, and there could be other reasons.
One can walk along a business street not finding any dedicated music shop, and even if there is one he or she would find nothing on or from Roviana.
One wonders what songs are kept in home libraries. So, what is happening to Roviana music? Why has there been no Roviana Music Association?
Roviana people are very good music people due to the historical influence of the Polynesian missionaries and early civilization through traders, etc. Roviana songs dominate the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Service in the 60s and 70s.
Recent trade shows and expositions have exposed the need for traditional music forms, at least even if near enough.
Hence, we are being watered down to mere bamboo flutes. Attempts by Evergreens and Gizo Street Jazz have gone past un-noticed.
There is a missing link.
Where is it?
Most ethnomusicologists (people who study music) agree that, by and large, culture determines the nature of its music.
Many such ‘ologists’ suggest that while biology, geography, or climate change may influence a music, the nature of a set of ideas and values which forms the center of a culture overridingly determines the character of that culture’s musical concepts, behavior and sounds.
Conservative cultural values, values that tend to maintain traditional views, are expressed in traditional musical characteristics, whereas adaptive cultural values, those that tend toward change and assimilation, are expressed in recently adapted musical characteristics.
The introductive settling of foreigners in Roviana dates from mid-1800s, but Roviana culture predominated until mid-1900s.
Especially the introduction of Christianity in Roviana in 1902, signaled the beginning of the destruction of Roviana traditional or ancient culture.
The maintenance of Roviana culture was discouraged and, in many instances, prohibited, in an effort to hasten the assimilation of Roviana people into the cultural and linguistic mainstream of Anglo-Asian-American.
From a Roviana viewpoint, this produced disastrous results, with significant losses occurring in the knowledge and perpetuation of traditional culture and language.
Today Roviana culture and language no longer predominate in Roviana and Roviana traditional culture is no longer the norm.
Nonetheless, total assimilation has not happened.
With the introduction of Roviana Lagoon Festival, a renewed interest in Roviana culture and language will re-develop.
One primary focus of the festival will be Roviana music.
The Roviana Lagoon Festival can be a conduit whereby we can see both conservative and adaptive Roviana cultural values in music and how they are expressed today.
It may be important to categorize the genres of Roviana music to make it easier to re-develop its identity in the general musical context.
The following genres could be considered: –
- Traditional (Ancient) – Lukana
- Christian Hymn singing- Kera Lotu Metodisi and latter churches
- Choral singing – sacred and secular
- Contemporary (“Roviana” and “Island”)
- Others (for instance in Hawaii – the slack guitar, falsetto singing, or soloists)
(a) Traditional (Ancient) – Lukana
This usually refers to the “so-called” chanting of traditional “lukana” (luk’lukana – active verb). It is language poetic proses by an individual or in unison by men or women, who sometimes accompanying themselves on native Roviana instrument like the “ivivu” (bamboo flute) or by dancing.
The qualification so-called above indicates that these chant genres are no longer performed widely, but only sporadically during death rites. Perhaps an in-depth study needs to be encouraged or this genre.
It is a product that has been handed down from one generation to another and having changed in the process or stopped altogether and no longer performed exactly in the same manner as before. We need to hear again these chants in concerts and competitions.
(b) Christian Hymn singing- Kera Lotu Metodisi and latter churches
Christian hymns introduced by Christian missionaries especially the Methodists in 1902 were translated into Roviana and sung in Western harmony by mixed male and female members. These are still heard in churches.
(c) Choral singing – sacred and secular
- Sacred – Choir groups specially trained and singing sacred hymns, eg. Nusa Banga Choir. Need to be encouraged. Such choir leaders as John Veo Bitibule, Joel Zio, Joseph Zama, Belsazah Gina.
- Secular – Very rare but some women from Vona Vona still do this especially during women interest workshops. Need to be encouraged. Such leaders like Lazarus Pania, Semion Tavaeke John Willy, Napthalai Bea.
(d) Contemporary (“Roviana” and “Island”)
This includes both traditional and recently composed. Early missionaries and traders brought in the Hawaiian hapa haole (half-caucasian) and the chalangalang music associated with the ukulele. It was said that Joel Piper Soakai was the first to introduce the group singing with guitars and thereby introduced the accompaniments of ukulele, mandolin and banjo. A Malaitan labourer working in the Western Province plantations by the name of Kisi was said to be one of the first that brought these instruments to Malaita. However, people like John Willie, Rence Ege, Moses Qau, etc. have already been playing or composing music.
(e) Others (for instance in Hawaii – the slack guitar, falsetto singing or soloists)
The Hawaiian hapa haole songs influenced people like John Willie, William Voy, Aleck Naqu, Nelson Pae, Samson Tena Boti, Nelson Meja, John Tulo, John Gina, Ronald Bei, Solomon Dakei. The bamboo flutes fastened together by Semion Tava Eke and Lazarus.
The distinctive feature here is the lyrics written predominantly in Roviana but with a smattering of English words or vice-versa. This is the only music that seems to have reached some commercial links. Many of their songs are re-sung in events and night-clubs or even recorded.
This is where a new Roviana style need to be crafted. A new genre marking the new beginning of Roviana Music.
So where are we?
How are we going to relate Roviana Music genres to conservative or adaptive Roviana cultural values?
Knowledge of and respect for our traditional social hierarchy is a conservative value expressed today but no action to revive them.
Especially in the chants and how we can segment them to honour our deities, our big men and our common folks.
Our so-called traditional “peka” is derived from the Hawaiian Hula.
How are we going to authenticate our body movements to depict our epic actions, our everyday life and activities?
We need to have many opportunities for musical improvisation in groups. But there should also be greater opportunities to express solo chanting for personal interpretation.
One consideration is to consider establishing a school of culture and music or utilize the current Roviana Lagoon Festival to be the institution for the time being.
Conclusion
The desire for westernization has overshadowed whatever wish one may have to re-develop and maintain in public, at least traditional music. Our contemporary Roviana music may be the major genre whilst we seek our traditional and ancient forms from past records written about them.
We can at least have a uniquely Roviana identity through music. And our cultural values, both conservative and adaptive will continue to determine the nature of Roviana music today and many years to come.
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(Footnote: Nelson H U Boso a, popular sportsman and administrator, a former Government Public Relations Officer with the SI Government Information Service in the 1980s, former MP and currently resides and works in Noro Town.)
