Where in China does the documentary take place?
Lugu Lake
WHat is the role of women in the Mosuo society?
They are the head of the house and do all of the housework.
What kinds of songs do they sing?
They sing folk songs.
What happened during the early 90’s in the Mosuo villages?
A lot of the villages got electricity.
What are the repercussions of those changes?
With it has come karaokes, television and tourists.
What are the problems of oral traditions?
The mother only sees her children once a week because they are in school the rest of the time.
Explain how the Musuo lifestyle and traditions have changed since the 90’s.
With electricity has come karaokes, television and tourists.
What is folk?
Music transmitted by word of mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers.
Describe the form of the Mosuo folk songs.
The opening words have no meaning and then the song is just loud vocals with a lot of meaning.
Why are lullabies important for the Mosuo people?
Lullabies express a mother’s love and they will stay deep in the babies’ heart. Lullabies are sung to babies when they cry.
Do you have any comments about the songs kids learn in school?
The kids think that the folk songs sound bad and the songs that they sing in school are better.
What are the origins of Bachata music?
It originated in the ghettos of the Dominican Republic, mostly in Santo Domingo, and evolved from bolero music.
What does the word bachata mean?
“Party” or “social meeting.”
What is the theme of bachata music?
Its subjects are often romantic; especially prevalent are tales of heartbreak and sadness.
What is the instrumentation for a bachata ensemble?
The typical bachata group consists of five instruments: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, electric bass guitar, bongos, guira, and maracas. Guitars use syncopation and arppegiated chords.
Explain the comparison between bachata and the blues?
They were both meant for people who suffered and had pain. They came from social contexts and were both discriminated as lower class music.
What is the bachata’s contextual meaning for Dominicans in New York City?
It makes them feel a sense of home.
How did bachata get disseminated throughout the Dominican Republic?
Through the radio stations in the Dominican Republic.
Which places served as social centers to listen to bachata?
Neighborhood bars, and then eventually at “colmados” (little grocery stores).
Explain Juan Luis Guerra’s contribution to bachata.
Juan Luis Guerra’s Grammy winning 1992 release, Bachata Rosa, is routinely credited with making the genre more acceptable and helping bachata achieve legitimacy and international recognition.
What is Bachata Rosa?
A song by Juan Luis Guerra that opened the door to the bachata genre and made it okay for people to listen to it.
How did Blas Duran helped develop the New Bachata?
Blas Duran was the first to record with electric guitar in his 1987 bachata-merengue hit. After him, the bachatero ceased to be a symbol of poverty and dissipation.
What does the documentary say about a double meaning? Give an example.
It mentions that a lot of lyrics have a sexual undertone. “I have a car that drives real nice and when it’s with girls, it drives real fast…”
Explain how bachata serves as a symbol of Dominican identity.
It serves as the national identity since it is a symbol of lower class.
Tatra Mountains?
Natural border between Slovakia and Poland. Inhabited by the Gorale people.
What are the Gorale people?
Isolated from the outside world. Have a strong regional identity. Strong language dialect. Well preserved traditions.
Instruments in Gorale music?
3 violins with a string bass or cello. They are played different Western performers.
Meter in Gorale music?
Duple meter.
Why are the drums important in Ghana’s culture?
They can “communicate” to other people of other villages.
What is Kpanlogo?
They are considered the youth in Ghana and use various rhythms as a means to socialize.
In what part of Ghana is the double-headed drum important?
The northern part.
What is Gonje?
A single-stringed fiddle instrument traditionally from the northern part of Ghana. Came from Dagomba group.
What is Gakogui?
The bell that was initially important as a funeral instrument.
Modern Ghana music versus past music?
Most modern music still maintains the rhythm pattern.
What is highlife?
It was influenced by jazz and rock from the West. Generally enjoyed by the rich until later, and initially began in the 1980’s