Music in the Cultures
There are three types of Black music; folk, popular and classical (jazz).
Folk music: A creation of spiritual feeling. It started on the plantation which was far from theaters, music halls, and other entertainment and was for Whites only anyway.
Popular music: For a long time Black pop was only listened to by the Black community, but then the recording business began to boom around World War II. Black music became a very popular American music. Listeners loved to hear anyone Black or anyone White singing in the Black style.
Jazz: It is called contemporary classical jazz and came from the spiritual and folklore form and is universally known (Haskins-Butt 1973, 61).
It was music and songs that prompted the Black slaves to communication which has made a fine history for them in rhythm and music.
In Mali, special training was required to be a musician. Instruments played were strings, wind and percussion instruments and the voice, of course. By creating their own style of music the slaves acquired a certain individualism and a survival of group activity. Slaves used what they knew to create work songs to deal with the strenuous work in the cotton fields. While working, their hands and feet were busy so they had to adapt the rhythms and music to their voices. That is how the call-response form began. Each man developed a cry which singled him out among the others. These songs helped the slaves join together and to stay strong in the face of overt suppression.
The White slave masters encouraged slave’s work songs. They believed that it helped slaves work more efficiently. They were fascinated by the dances and rhythmic songs, but later learned that the beat of the drums was also a source of communication for the slaves. The drum code was well known by all slaves just as Morse Code became common knowledge in the military world.
The drums made from hallowed-out logs or nail kegs had skin stretched tightly over one end. But these drums were outlawed because the White masters feared it as a tool for escape. Slaves adopted a new rhythm because of this. It was done by tapping the heal of the shoe on a wooden floor. What is amazing is that the foot barely leaves the floor but releases the sound of real drums. The slaves retained their drums despite the master’s rule.
Slaves had various types of songs for specific times and events. To mention a few: mood songs, taunt songs, and chants. These songs were more successful in helping to deceive the masters because they were felt to be too emotional to be taken seriously.
Religious services were forbidden the slaves. Once again White masters thought it a tool for planning escapes when slaves just wanted to continue to praise just as they had done in Africa to regenerate the soul. Out of Christianity another style of music was created: spirituals.
The spiritual “
Deep River”
was used to announce a meeting at the river:
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“
Deep River
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My home is over Jordan, Yes
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Deep River, Lord
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I want to cross over into camp ground!’
Slaves on the other side would answer back with song to plan the meeting time.
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“
Let us break bread together on our knees
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Let us break bread together on our knees
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When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
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Oh Lord, have mercy on me”
The time was in the morning and on the west side of the river (Haskins-Butts 1973, 69).
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I.
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Have students make up a call and response song of their own. Divide the class into two sections. Choose a subject for the song. It may be helpful if the first line is supplied to get them started.
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II.
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Have students act out the song they just composed. See if they would like to add to it or change something to fit proper actions. This is one form of folklore and the telling of a story through song.
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NOTE: No materials necessary.
