mmap newsletter 2014 · button accordion tradition and, specifically, the 2005 beaches accordion...
TRANSCRIPT
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 1
The Women’s Accordion Circle: A Retrospective By Meghan Forsyth
Newfoundlanders and trad music enthusiasts
will surely swap stories for generations to
come about the “Accordion Revolution” of
2005, when over 1000 people responded to
the “call-to-arms” to establish a new world
record for the largest accordion ensemble and
joined together to play “Mussels in the
Corner.” Indeed, those “mirrored eyes and
polished bone
buttons,” to borrow
Annie Proulx’s
description from
Accordion Crimes
(1996), has this
province firmly in
its…reeds. But, Kelly
Best notes, many
women “fiddlers” are
unacknowledged in
the province’s accordion history (2006). Yet,
if you drop by our MMaP Gallery on Monday
evenings, it is clear that the tradition is alive
and well.
The Women’s Accordion Circle (WAC) has
been meeting weekly in the MMaP Gallery (in
the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre) since
October 2007. The idea for the all-ages
gathering came from St. John’s native and
accordionist Kelly Best, while completing her
Master’s degree in ethnomusicology.
Her research focused on the Newfoundland
button accordion tradition and, specifically,
on the 2005 Beaches Accordion Festival held
in Eastport, Newfoundland. During her
research, she learned some interesting things
from the women she interviewed. “A lot of
women play but they keep their hobby to
themselves for the most part. Some reported
being shy and others talked about being in
some way shut out of playing either at parties
or other events. But the instrument and the
music means the world to them – they wished
they knew other
women who played…
some felt isolated. My
research taught me
that a lot of times
women aren’t
recognized as folk
music tradition
holders” (Best 2014). Continued on page 2.
MMaP NEWSLETTER
Summer 2014
In this issue:
The Women’s Accordion Circle ……………….. 1
Vocal Music Researcher at MUN………………. 3
‘Antifolking’ in Berlin ……………………………… 4
Pouch Cove – Our Home By The Sea .............. 5
Dancing Through Disease………………………... 6
MMaP Lecture Series 2014-2015 …………….. 7
Irish Music in Japan ……………………………….. 8
Film Week at MMaP ……………………………….. 11
St. John’s Many Voices: The Exhibit ………… 12
Ethno, Folklore, and Icebergs! ………………… 13
Congratulations and Thanks …………………… 15
About MMaP…………………………………………… 16
The Women’s Accordion Circle, 2014. Courtesy of Annette Howlett
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 2
WAC continued from page 1
While players like Minnie White and Belle
Fennelly are well known in our province’s
traditional music scene, Best suspected that
there were many other Newfoundland
women “in love with this
instrument that most of the world
loves to hate” (Best 2014). Thus,
the idea for a group dedicated to
women accordionists was born.
“So I thought about the most
inclusive way to bring women
together in a safe and supportive
environment. I kept it to women only because
I thought we deserved our own special place.
I wanted to give us all an opportunity to share
our love for music and the instrument, … to
practice being a performer, to get more
comfortable with the idea that we are
musicians with passion and talent, and to
have fun!” (Best 2014).
Best thought about giving lessons and
considered leading a performance group, but
this was complicated by the fact that
accordions come in all keys and players at all
levels. In the end, she decided on the model of
a storytelling circle where players take turns,
tell stories relating to tunes, play or pass as
they want to, ask questions, and get to know
each other. Some posters, emails, and, later,
CBC and VOCM radio stations, helped raise
awareness. As Debbie Dunne wrote in a
recent email, “whether you are an absolute
beginner or a seasoned player, the WAC
welcomes you and you can quickly find your
comfort level” (Dunne 2014). For many
members, the Circle has provided a space and
motivation for them to return to the
instrument (and music in general) after many
years of raising families, working, and other
commitments. In the years since the group
began, the membership and practice of the
Circle has shifted and developed its own
sense of self” (Best 2014). They have added
some “community times,” including outings to
Bowring Park and pub nights. But the Circle
has maintained Best’s vision of the
group as a place where women
could gather and share music
together (Dunne 2014). The
idea continues to resonate with
women accordionists in St.
John’s and will, I am sure, for many
more years to come. Continued on p. 7
Many Newfoundland women “in love with an instrument most of the
world loves to hate”
“The Circle” by Harryetta Collett
The Circle it goes round and round With stories, music and song It has become a familiar place To which we all belong Kelly has brought us together And she cannot be beat Cause accordions were made to play Except one which was made to eat The stories are told with passion Of accordions neglected for years Of music in our families And of overcoming our fears. The music is so vivid It takes me at my will To see the Star of Logy Bay Or the Cross On Spancil Hill The songs they come from near and far But we’ve got them all down pat They range from very serious To “Doggie Bark at the Cat” And thanks to all that jammin’ We’ve all become good friends The circle it goes round and round And I hope it never ends.
Dust off your accordions and join the circle! The WAC will meet weekly starting Monday,
September 8th, 7pm-9pm in the MMaP Gallery, 2nd floor, Arts and Culture Centre.
We hope to see you there!
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 3
Vocal Music Researcher Returns to MUN, Wants Everyone To Sing With Him By Chris Tonelli
Editor’s note: We’re excited that Dr. Chris Tonelli
is returning to St. John’s in October 2014!
Hello (again) MMaP community! For those of
you who don't know me, my name is Dr. Chris
Tonelli. I was Visiting Assistant Professor of
Ethnomusicology and Popular Music Studies at
MUN's School of Music (2011-13) before taking
up a postdoctoral fellowship at the University
of Guelph with the Improvisation Community
and Social Practice (ICASP) project, a project
that takes an interdisciplinary approach in
asking the question: how can musical
improvisation serve as a crucial model for
political, cultural, and ethical dialogue and
action? In 2014, ICASP is becoming, in a sense,
born again as IICSI, the International Institute
for Critical Studies in Improvisation. MMaP and
MUN are partners with the new IICSI
organization, which is allowing me to continue
this work in St. John’s. My office will be housed
at MMaP, where I'll be furiously analyzing the
multi-sited ethnographic data I collected
working as participant-observer and
interviewer in free improvising music
communities in Chicago, New York, Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal, Ottawa, and
Toronto. I am an improvising soundsinger and
have been singing and speaking with other
improvising soundsingers intensively
throughout 2013-2014.
Free voice singing, improvised extranormal
singing, soundsinging—whatever you call it—
is a highly under-documented and
misunderstood practice, one that allows us to
question and challenge dominant
epistemologies about what it means to be
human, to perform gender, and to participate
intersubjectively in the dynamisms of Other
bodies. When the human body enters
established contexts for the performance of art
or popular music and proceeds to make sounds
that audiences might associate with machines,
animals, or the forces of nature, audiences
often have powerful positive or negative
reactions and frequently engage in responsive
actions that range from attempts to police the
vocality of the performer to powerful urges to
engage in the kinds of vocal play that the
performer is modelling and that a variety of
social institutions work to proscribe or
discourage. And so, my work is theoretical,
ethnographic, historical (I'm writing a book on
the history of the practice that begins in the
1950s with the crirhythmes of François
Dufrêne and traces the practice to its present
forms), and practice-based—one of the things
I've been doing in Guelph is organizing
opportunities for group vocal improvisation.
Starting in October, I'll be organizing one
monthly gathering devoted to group
exploration of free vocal improvisation and a
second monthly gathering devoted to
exploration of structured and conducted choral
improvisation. Anyone interested in
participating is welcome; no previous vocal
experience is necessary; and there will be no
cost to participate. For more information you
can contact me at [email protected], check out
the Facebook page for the St. John's Vocal
Exploration Gatherings. To get a sense of what
will be happening in St. John's in 2014-2015,
you can check out here what the Guelph Vocal
Exploration Gathering group did in 2013-2014.
Better yet, drop by my office at MMaP to chat
with me about vocal traditions, improvisation,
imitation, pastiche, chiptune, transnational
flows of popular music, mail art scores, sea
urchin, karaoke, or anything else on your mind!
See you all soon.
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 4
From the Field:
‘Antifolking’ in Berlin By Mathias Kom (PhD Candidate)
My doctoral research centers on the small but
vibrant ‘antifolk’ scene in Berlin, inspired by
and modeled on the more established scene in
New York, where the loosely defined genre (a
kind of acoustic folk with a punk attitude)
began. When I started my research, I was
mostly interested in the ways that New York
and Berlin-based musicians collaborated and
networked with one another in order to keep
their scenes alive,
successfully maintaining a
transnational community
of musicians almost
completely outside the
mainstream. Since
immersing myself in this
world, however, I’ve been
drawn to studying the
complex political economy
of antifolk, and where I
first saw only cooperation
and scene-building, I now recognize a far more
fragmented picture that includes as much
tension, disagreement, and collapse as it
presents an alternative model of DIY success.
I’ve been embedded in these two scenes as a
musician myself for several years. This means
that my research participants, in some cases,
are also my artistic collaborators, my tour-
mates, my close friends, and even my own
booking agent. I’ve been drawn deeper into
this world through unique opportunities to be
part of festivals, open mic nights, and concert
series – working not just as a musician or
ethnographer but also as a promoter, host, or
DJ. At a few points during the year, I’ve also
gone on tours with antifolk musicians, and I’ve
been chronicling my experiences in
combination with a series of interviews with
musicians, promoters, and fans.
This deep involvement has obvious
advantages, but also presents unique
challenges. How do I remain sensitive to the
tight-knit, friendship-based nature of these
scenes without compromising my writing?
How do I separate my own musical career from
my research – is that even possible? And
critically, how do I know when enough is
enough? As the project continues, it seems like
an endless onion, with always another layer
underneath, another direction waiting to be
explored. Setting
boundaries and limiting
my scope has been a
struggle at times, but on
the other hand I’ve gained
so much from such in-
depth involvement, and I
find that this music and
the people who make it
continue to fascinate me
and help me grow as both
a musician and a scholar.
“Five things I can’t live without”:
1. My research participants, who are always ready and willing to help.
2. My partner and band mate Ariel Sharratt, who has provided me with so much inspiration for new directions in this research.
3. My German friends, well-versed in the intricacies of both their language and their country’s mystifying bureaucracy, who seem to have endless patience with my confusion over article declension or how to renew my freelance artist’s visa.
4. My balcony garden: I’ve discovered that despite my long history of plant homicide, I might actually have a green thumb.
5. My guitar: a constant reminder that if I fail completely at finishing this dissertation, I can always dedicate my life to busking in the Berlin subway system.
(Courtesy of Mathias Kom)
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 5
Pouch Cove – Our Home by the Sea By Po Chun Lau
Pouch Cove – Our Home by the Sea is a newly
published book by the Pouch Cove Heritage
Committee. The book was developed and
designed by six members of the heritage
group, who assembled material for a 186-
page, richly illustrated history of the
communities of Pouch Cove, Shoe Cove, and
Biscayan Cove, from the time of their
founding up to the present. More than 50
people contributed photographs, stories and
documents for inclusion in the book. With
230 illustrations and a comfortable spiral
binding, the book is being hailed by readers
as a major accomplishment and a milestone
for the community.
Pouch Cove – Our Home by the Sea has
sections about early settlement, fishing,
sealing, local merchants, losses and tragedies,
local agriculture, veterans, women’s lives,
local groups and associations, the Pouch Cove
Public Library, schools, churches and church
groups, the Pouch Cove Volunteer Fire
Department, sports and recreation, holidays
and celebrations, health, and healing. In
addition, the Cape St. Francis Lighthouse,
Shoe Cove satellite tracking stations, East
Coast Trail, and Marine Drive Park are
highlighted. Collected stories and poems, as
well as a section of 22 pages of photographs
of local families complete the
collection. Introductory sections written by
Pouch Cove Mayor Joedy Wall, MHA Kevin
Parsons, and Dr. Edgar Williams set the tone
for the rich collection of information in the
book.
As Kevin Parsons observes in his Preface,
“This book does a wonderful job of
highlighting the resilience, kindness and rich
history of Pouch Cove and its residents. It is
so important that the stories of our rural
communities continue to be told, so that our
children can know and understand how their
parents and grandparents lived, how they
persevered as a community through the hard
times and how they also enjoyed the good
times together.”
Copies of the book are available at local
outlets and can be ordered online from
www.pouchcoveheritage.org
Thank you to Dr. Diane Tye for
her service on MMaP’s Executive
Board.
…and we’d like to extend a big
welcome to Dr. Cory Thorne as
the Executive’s newest member!
Book cover photo courtesy of the Pouch Cove Heritage Committee
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 6
‘Dancing Through Disease’:
Ethnomusicologist Louise Meintjes By Beverley Diamond
Dr. Louise Meintjes (Duke University) visited
Memorial University during one of the coldest
weeks of the winter of 2014 but she radiated
warmth and generosity in every class and
lecture she gave. Her public lecture on March
4, “Dancing around Disease: Zulu ngoma in a
time of AIDS” demonstrated the depth of her
lifelong fieldwork and friendships in South
Africa as well as the power of evocative
performance ethnography. The ngoma dance
is a physically demanding genre with both
“sweetness” and “power,” as she has
described in an article in Ethnomusicology
Forum (2004, 13/2:174): . . . the dancer's right knee bends, his back arches, his head tilts back. He extends his right arm over his head as his left leg stretches back to prepare for the pick-up to the beat. The forward thrust of his left arm balances his taut and arching body. Then, as if a spring suddenly triggered, he kicks his left leg into the sky, curls his torso and shoots his right arm forward to balance his one-legged stance. His skyward foot thunders down onto the ground on the beat, gqi! Dust flies. He throws away the movement with his hands, in the recoil of his torso, with a flick of his head, and he saunters off.
In her lecture at MUN she addressed the way
in which the dance negotiates masculinity in
the context of HIV/AIDS. She explained that
the brotherhood of Zulu men who dance
ngoma are at the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS
crisis. While the denial of AIDS during the
Mbeki regime (1999-2007) gave way to large-
scale anti-retroviral programs since 2007,
there is still social stigma associated with the
disease. Hospitals may be a secondary
recourse for some. The dance enables the
men not only to show how they care about
those afflicted with the disease in a way they
deem appropriately masculine but also to
negotiate the stigma and resulting politics of
silence associated with the illness. She
described how one dancer who could no
longer dance asserted authority in his voice.
Another shed tears as he announced to his
fellow dancers that he wouldn’t dance any
longer; his brothers responded by singing in a
“sweet voice” and their captain made space
for them to regain control. A third attempted
to dance proudly to assert that “his TB was
cured” but his fellow dancers took care of him
by holding him back, saying in effect “we
know that it’s not TB.” She explained that
each transgressive action indicated that
something important was at stake. The
politics of ambiguity, however, allowed “a
pretence, a phantom normalcy” that allowed
men afflicted with AIDS to retain their
respectability. In the style of evocative
writing for which she is highly esteemed,
Meintjes moved seamlessly between
multisensory ethnographic description and
interpretation as she demonstrated how
ngoma enables the unspeakable to surface
among Zulu men in post-Apartheid South
Africa.
Zulu ngoma dancers (Courtesy of Louise Meintjes)
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 7
“Accordion Circle” by Vicki Larkin
Vicki Larkin joined the Women’s Accordion
Circle in December of 2007. She wrote her
poem “Accordion Circle” after her first session.
I joined the accordion circle last Monday night
When I first walked in I was a little uptight;
But I was welcomed at the door by Kelly Best
And was glad to see there would be no test;
The circle was arranged according to key
So I sat on a chair surrounded by ‘C’s;
After introducing ourselves to one and all
Kelly said tell a story or play a song, it was our call;
One by one we played a song,
With nineteen around the circle, it didn’t take long;
Some of us were just starting and some played
for years,
All the accordion music was very pleasant to hear;
From jigs and reels to songs that were slow,
I was delighted that I decided to go;
Around the circle we played three times
And before we knew it, it was half past nine;
Then there was a jam session for the ‘A’s and ‘D’s
But next week it will be for ‘C’s and ‘G’s;
Kelly invited everyone to stay
And listen to the music about to be played;
This ladies accordion group is second to none,
It was so relaxing and a barrel of fun!
Continued on page 10
2014-2015 MMaP lecture series:
Wednesday, October 1 (4 p.m.) Dr. Kiri Miller (Brown)
“Dance Games and Body Work”
Thursday, October 16 (7 p.m.) Dr. Kip Pegley (Queen’s)
“The Work of Music at the Canadian War Museum” Auditorium, Bruneau Centre
Wednesday, November 26 (7:30 p.m.) Dr. Ingrid Monson (Harvard)
“From Freedom Sounds to Senufo Sounds: Social Vision and Improvisation in a Global World”
Tuesday, February 10 (7:30 p.m.) Dr. Aaron McKim (Eastern Health)
Dr. Jane Gosine (Music, MUN) Dr. Fern Brunger (Health Care Ethics, MUN) “Tuned In: Intercultural and Interdisciplinary
Roundtable on Health”
Tuesday, March 3 (7:30 p.m.) Dr. Gavin Douglas (North Carolina at
Greensboro) “The Sound of Political Change in Myanmar”
Unless indicated otherwise, all events take place in the MMaP Gallery, 2nd floor, Arts and Culture Centre Events are open to the public and free of charge.
Congratulations to Dr. Neil
Rosenberg (Professor Emeritus
of Folklore and member of
MMaP’s Executive Board) who
will be inducted into the
International Bluegrass Hall
of Fame in Raleigh, NC, in
October 2014!!
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 8
From the Field: Crowds, Irish Music and Food: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Tokyo By Toshio Tatsu Oki (MA Candidate) I was sitting around a table in a stylish café in
the young, hip, Kichijoji area of Tokyo, an area
of small boutiques, whole foods and bars with
no seats. The café was adorned with paintings,
stencils and artworks from one of the guest
musicians who sang with the instrumentalists
later in the evening. An upright piano was
sitting in the corner of the room, and the
musicians were sitting around a rectangular
table, laden with freshly catered food and a few
bottles of specially sourced Guinness. The faces
around the table were
full of smiles and
laughs, and the tunes
were intense and full
of fervour. I looked
around. The audience
filled the café, clapping
to the beat.
My trip to Tokyo was
incredibly rewarding,
both from an academic
and personal
standpoint. My
research examines
hybrid musical
processes with a focus
on the phenomenon of Irish music in Japan. I
was not only able to connect with young
performers, who found venues all over the city,
from cafés and art galleries to Buddhist
temples and Shinto shrines, but also delve into
the history of Irish music in Tokyo. I was even
able to get my hands on the tape of the first
recording of traditional and folk music in the
city in 1979, and the newsletters from the first
traditional music appreciation society in the
city.
Personally, I was able to connect with Tokyo on
a more intimate level. Until this trip, I had been
rather wary of that megalopolis. Too many
people, too many cars, too many train lines and
just too much in general. This time around, I
was able to experience the ebb and flow of the
city and its non-stop rhythm. There was always
something to do, something to experience or
someone to talk to. I was able to experience the
changing seasons in the city, the various
cultural practices (festivals, temples, shrines,
and cherry blossom viewing) and the variety of
cuisines on offer throughout.
In short, I love Tokyo now. I
love the trains. I love how
you can go everywhere
(literally everywhere,
sometimes through 5
different routes!). I love the
crowds. I love the crowded
trains.
Continued on page 9
Photos courtesy of Toshio Tatsu Oki
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 9
Irish Music continued from page 8
I love the little boroughs, all of which have
unique characteristics (you go one train stop
over and it's a completely different
neighbourhood!). I love the food. I love the
music and how the friends I've made are
playing it all over the place. If you're ever in
Tokyo, chances are there will be Irish music
with a Japanese twist being played somewhere
in the city. Ask around!
Toshio’s “Top 5 Eats in Toyko”:
1. Paitan Ramen (noodles) in Ginza. Apparently this is a famous place in the Ginza area of Tokyo. I understand why. We waited for 40 minutes. It was completely worth it.
2. Unagi in Tokyo. Grilled eel. Amazing. The thing about unagi in Tokyo is that they steam the fish before grilling it, making it as fluffy as a pillow.
3. Jumbo Gyoza (dumplings). Cheap, gigantic and four for $3! A great student hangout in the Ueno area of Tokyo.
4. Ten Don in Kamakura. A bit of a detour from Tokyo, but the city is beautiful and this tempura bowl was huge, freshly prepared and delicious.
5. Any chain Teishoku place. Teishoku means “standard meal,” but there is nothing standard about them. You get seafood bowls, fresh grilled fish or deep-fried goodness for cheap, plus you don’t feel awkward when dining alone! Another plus: $5 lunches!
Now Available from
MMaP’s Back on Track
Series:
Soufflets & Archets is the French-language edition
of Bellows & Bows (released in 2012). This book and
double CD set is the most comprehensive audio
survey of music for fiddle and accordion from every
province and territory in Canada.
The 2 CDs showcase rare archival and out-of-print
tracks, including the first-known recording of “Red
River Jig” and early radio and TV broadcasts, and 65
tunes played in diverse Canadian styles: Scottish,
French, Irish, First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Ukrainian,
Norwegian, and Polish.
The 160-page book features rich biographical
notes, photos, maps and tune analysis, as well as a
social history of fiddle and accordion in Canada.
For more information and audio excerpts:
http://www.mun.ca/mmap/back_on_track/b_and_b
Courtesy of Toshio Tatsu Oki
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 10
WAC continued from page 7
In the spring of 2014, Debbie Dunne asked past and present WAC members to submit “sharings” of
their WAC experiences. Here are a few selections from that exchange:
References:
Best, Kelly. Email to Women’s Accordion Circle group, 20 April 2014. _____. “A performance ethnography of the 2005 Beaches Accordion Festival, Eastport, Newfoundland.” MA
thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2006. Proulx, E. Annie. Accordion Crimes. Simon & Schuster, 1996.
I am 82 years old – never thought at that age I would be with a band “Sweet Forget me Nots” playing and singing at seniors’ retirement homes, concerts, festivals and to welcome passengers off visiting cruise ships. I always loved music. When I was 15 years old I bought a guitar and an old second-hand fiddle. The fiddle cost me $10. I played a few chords, which I had learned on the guitar in our school band led by Cmdr. Garrett at Prince of Wales College in 1948. One of our school teachers, Mr. Thomas Sargent, was kind enough to lend me his banjo when he saw how interested I was in the sound of it. You can imagine how proud I was that day walking home from school carrying this large instrument. I was also a big fan of Ralph Bishop and Don Randell’s radio program, which was broadcast by CBC at the Newfoundland Hotel. School finished and I went into nursing. Music was forgotten for many years with working and raising a family.
In 1962 I took up music again and bought a five-string banjo, which I used to take part in a TV minstrel show for CBC. Over the years I have enjoyed many hours of singing and playing music with wonderful friends Reg Whitten and Frank Thorne of the Blue Grass Mountaineers. In 2007 I saw an ad from Kelly Best requesting any women who would like to get together to play accordion to come to MMaP on Monday evenings. I thought that might be nice, so I gathered up an old accordion that lived in my house but I had never tried to play it. I am so delighted that I made that decision because I met such a wonderful group of new people with the same musical desire that I had. I have learned to play the accordion and very much enjoy our get togethers and the friendships which we have acquired.
3 years ago, some of my accordion friends showed an interest in learning to play the fiddle, so out came from the dust my 1947 fiddle and off we went to the fiddle association and also a few lessons from Christina Smith. We now have a little group called “The Rare Birds” and I must admit we are still quite rare but trying hard. A whole new world of music has opened up for me and I hope to be around for many more years to enjoy the company of my good friends, many of whom I have met at the Women’s Accordion Circle. ~ By Doreen Reardigan
..............................................................
Over 3 years ago I mentioned to Lillian at one of the Mews traditional dances that I had an accordion sitting in my closet and she encouraged me to come to the accordion group. I think we were about to go away for a few months at that time and it didn't enter my mind again until Harryetta also mentioned it to me several months later. This time I decided to give it a try, even though I would only be able to fit in a couple of sessions since we were heading South again for the winter.
My first session was January 23, 2012. It was such a pleasure to be amongst very friendly, encouraging ladies that I did indeed go back. I think it was the idea of no pressure and that there were beginners like me who could learn from the "pros" at our own pace. Since that time, I have enjoyed every session and would love to attend them all but again our travels get in the way and each year I start off just as rusty. However, I will press on...
The other reason I attend these sessions is because I grew up with a Mother who played the accordion every chance she got and she was great. I didn't show any interest in learning how to play during my childhood but I sure loved to dance to her jigs. Today, she has been dead for almost two years and I hope to keep her type of music in the family but I really have to discipline myself to practice more. I struggle with it and will never be as good as she was but each time I hold that accordion in my arms, I feel like I am holding my Mother. ~ By Ann Windsor
..............................................................
The day that I answered Kelly Best’s call for women to meet at the Arts and Culture Centre and start the Circle became a life-changing experience for me. Not only did it enhance my accordion playing but also gave me a place to heal from life experiences and I continued healing by getting involved with new friends. Practicing times together were always joyful and entertaining, which gave me courage and help restore my self-esteem. ~ By Marina Hoskins
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 11
Film Week with Barbara Evans By Meghan Forsyth
A number of MMaP
staff and research
affiliates have been
involved in
filmmaking projects
since 2007, when,
after taking the radio
or video
documentary-
making courses
offered in the
Ethnomusicology graduate programs, they began
creating documentaries on topics as diverse as
Arsi Oromo women in Ethiopia, the RPM
Challenge, Newfoundland accordion and step
dance traditions, and more! Thus, we dedicated
one week in February of 2014 to this shared
interest. We were honoured to welcome Dr.
Barbara Evans, an award-winning filmmaker and
York University (Toronto) professor, as a visiting
scholar at MMaP. And what a week it was!
Evans is a director, producer, writer, researcher,
and editor of film and television in Britain and
Canada. A graduate of Britain’s National Film and
Television School, she has worked in educational
television, the BBC, ITV, and on films sponsored by
the British Film Institute. In Canada, Evans was an
editor for the National Film Board on such films as
Wonderland and Bitter Medicine, and on
independent feature films Latitude 55 and Walls,
among others. Her current research is on the work
of early women filmmakers in the British
documentary film movement.
Evans’ public lecture, entitled “Documenting the
Present/Visualizing the Past: The Voices of
Documentary Film,” drew on her own work and
a rich array of other films to examine various
strategies for filming contemporary documentary
subjects. She discussed similarities and
differences between documentary and
ethnographic filmmaking, and then analyzed
various models, including “expository”
documentaries in the lineage of the classic Nanook
of the North (1922); “observational” film (a.k.a.
“direct cinema”), such as Allan King’s Warrendale
(1967); “cinema vérité,” such as John Rusch’s
Chronique d’un été (1961); “personal essay film,”
such as Chris Marker’s Sans Soleil (1983); and
“visual ethnography film,” such as those by the
Sensory Ethnography Lab at Harvard University.
Dr. Evans’ examples were captivating and brought
to life the chronological, but genre-differentiated,
history of documentary filmmaking.
Another highlight of film week was a
videoconference that brought together four
scholars and filmmakers who use film as a
medium of publication and a form of political
activism. Zoe Sherinian (University of Oklahoma)
discussed her film This is a Music: Reclaiming an
Untouchable Drum (2011), which focuses on the
changing status of Christian Dalit drummers.
Michael Frishkopf (University of Alberta) spoke
about his involvement in producing collaborative
documentary films, such as the youtube-
disseminated film “Songs of the New Arab
Revolutions,” which draws on a Facebook archive
of over 100 videos from the “Arab Spring” as well
as similar videos available on the web. He also
spoke about his participatory action research for
development in West Africa. Clara Henderson
joined us virtually from Indiana University, where
she is the Associate Director of the EVIA digital
archive project, a collaborative digital archive of
ethnographic field videos for use by scholars and
instructors. Last but not least, local Newfoundland
writer and radio host Marjorie Doyle was filmed
in advance speaking about a documentary film
that she co-produced with her brother, John.
Regarding Our Father tells the story of their father,
Gerald S. Doyle—a businessman, folksong
collector, and founder of The Doyle Bulletin—using
the 16mm colour footage Doyle shot as he
Courtesy of Barbara Evans
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
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Film Week continued from page 11
traveled around the province in the mid-20th
century.
MMaP sponsored Dr. Evans’ short-term residency
and the videoconference with support from the
Capacity Building Fund established in 2014 by the
Office of the Vice-President (Research).
Check out audio and film documentaries produced
by MMaP graduate students and research
affiliates!
St. John’s Many Voices: The Exhibit By Beverley Diamond and Meghan Forsyth
On June 19, 2014, MMaP hosted a meeting of
public sector and university partners to discuss
the development of a potential exhibit on cultural
diversity in St. John’s. Among the attendees were
museum curators, archivists, immigration support
personelle, Aboriginal representation, leaders in
specific religious and ethnocultural communities,
representatives from relevant government
departments, tourism specialists, exhibit
designers, representatives from MUN’s
International Student Office, the Harris Centre,
and the Office of Public Engagement, as well as
scholars interested in a wide range of cultural
diversity issues. Our interest in exploring the
possibility of such an exhibit grew out of a
research project entitled St. John’s Many Voices
that was undertaken between 2009 and 2012. A
team of graduate student researchers conducted
extensive archival research and interviewed over
90 individuals from many of the immigrant
communities in St. John’s. Public exhibits, we
believe, would enable this rich material to be
made available in formats that would reach a wide
audience.
Dr. Beverley Diamond opened the meeting by
describing the St. John’s Many Voices research and
the main themes that emerged in the study,
including the way the port city of St. John’s has
functioned as a contact zone, the re-storying of the
landscape by culturally diverse citizens, and the
creation of unique alliances in the St. John’s region
in particular.
The topic of cultural diversity sparked lively
discussion and participants contributed many
exciting ideas for potential exhibits and associated
programming. We hope to be able to share plans
for future exhibits over the coming year.
(top) Participants in a breakout session. (bottom) Beverley
Diamond welcomes the group to MMaP. Photos by Hadi Milanloo.
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
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MMaP Hosts Symposium on Music, Folklore and the Public Sector By Meghan Forsyth
On May 15th, 2014, MMaP hosted a group of
internationally renowned scholars, local
experts and entrepreneurs for a lively
exchange on issues related to local culture,
politics, and social well-being. The
symposium focused on ways that scholars are
pushing intellectual boundaries and forming
alliances across disciplines as well as between
university and public sector institutions, in
order to address urgent social issues. How did
we manage to get such a distinguished group
of academic visitors to St. John’s for a half-day
symposium? The event was organized to be
adjacent to the meeting of the Executive
Board of the Society for Ethnomusicology
(SEM) in St. John’s, hosted by MMaP Director
and current SEM President Beverley
Diamond.
The afternoon began with diverse
presentations by ethnomusicologists.
Following an introductory history of
ethnomusicology’s social engagement in the
mid-20th century by Stephen Stuempfle
(Executive Director of SEM and Associate
Professor of Ethnomusicology at Indiana
University), Anne Rasmussen, a professor in
the Department of Music, College of William
and Mary (Virginia) explored music industry
networks in the Middle East and theorized
musical labour as it occurs in the service of
festivals and festivities. Her presentation
drew particular attention to her current work
in Oman. Tina K. Ramnarine, a professor at
Royal Holloway, University of London (UK),
examined issues of musical representation in
the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Royal
Botanical Gardens at Kew Gardens in London.
Her research uses this site as a way of
thinking about cultural mapping, and musical
diversity in relation to botanical cultivation
under imperial regimes.
The afternoon continued with two lively
roundtable discussions. First, “Music and
Politics: Navigating Between Institutions,
Social Agendas and Cultural Practices”
examined how ethnomusicologists are finding
innovative ways to address issues of power
and politics through their scholarship and
media production activities. Harris Berger
(Texas A&M University) kicked off the panel
by outlining five political challenges for the
academic study of music; these ranged from
questioning whether our “populism” needs to
be formulated as “anti-elitism” to elucidating
how musical performance practices relate to
social relationships in other spheres. Through
a close reading of photographs dating from
the 1920s, Margaret Sarkissian (Smith
College, Massachusetts) took up Berger’s
challenges when she discussed her recent
research in the Straits-born Chinese
communities of Malacca, Malaysia, where she
is using archival photographs to initiate
reflection among her informants and as a tool
to piece together a history of the complex and
shifting hybridity of the community. Finally,
Zoe Sherinian (University of Oklahoma)
talked about her work as an ethnographic
filmmaker to validate a once-denigrated
musical tradition of Christian Dalit (also
known as untouchables or outcasts) in
southern India.
We were thrilled that three local scholars,
activists and entrepreneurs participated in
the final roundtable of the symposium, which
explored public engagement initiatives in
Newfoundland and Labrador. A presentation
by Jillian Gould (Assistant Professor in
Folklore, MUN) focused on the development
of Memorial University’s public folklore
program. She gave an overview of some of the
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 14
Synposium continued from page 13
exciting projects that she and her students
have developed, such as traditional dance and
Jewish rugelach (a Jewish pastry) workshops,
and discussed some of the challenges they
have faced when engaging with local
communities. Dale Jarvis (Development
Officer, Intangible Cultural Heritage NL)
provided a history and overview of various
cultural development initiatives in the
province, including the 2006 “Creative NL”
document which served as a blueprint for the
province’s investment and development in
local culture, the Intangible Cultural Heritage
program, and the community-based projects
that the ICH office has undertaken since it
was established in 2008. Last but not least,
Zainab Jerrett (Executive Director, Tombolo
Multicultural Festival Newfoundland and
Labrador Inc.) talked about her work in
promoting multiculturalism and cultural
diversity in St. John’s and “up the shore” in
Ferryland with the annual Tombolo festivals.
In addition to their stimulating presentations
at the symposium (and behind-the-scenes
hard work on SEM Board business), our
international guests found time to take in
some of the sights and sounds of St. John’s
and the surrounding area, including lunch at
The Rooms, a visit to the Ocean Sciences
Centre in Logy Bay in time to observe the
seals at feeding time, and iceberg-spotting in
Torbay!
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 15
Congratulations!
In June 2014, Mary Piercey-Lewis successfully
defended her Ph.D. dissertation, entitled
“Inulariuyunga: Imngirnik Quvigiyaqaqtunga!"
I'm a Real Inuk; I Love to Sing! Interactions
Between Music, Inummariit and Belief in an
Inuit Community Since Resettlement.” Her
research explored how the Inuit of Arviat,
Nunavut, use their musical practices to
negotiate social diversity wtihin the community
in response to massive sociocultural changes
since the 1950s. Dr. Piercey-Lewis teaches
music at Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit.
In May 2014, three ethnomusicology students
received their Master’s degrees:
Amanda Ironside’s research focused on the life
and career of Cape Breton fiddler Sandy
MacIntyre, and community he fostered through
a weekly musical performance in Toronto. She
currently teaches high school music in Toronto.
Melody McKiver travels extensively as a
freelance researcher and performer from her
home base in Ottawa. Recent projects include
self-directed research in Northwestern Ontario,
touring the UK with trip-hop singer Iskwé,
recording with Colombian electronic musician
Lido Pimienta, and writing film scores. Melody
is active in Ottawa’s media arts community and
plans to release an album for solo viola in 2015.
Krista Vincent’s Master s thesis looked at
issues of reception and meaning-making in
contemporary classical music. A respected
pianist and musical director, Krista was recently
appointed General Manager of the Tuckamore
Chamber Music Festival.
Thank you!
In August 2014, MMaP teamed up with the
Association for Newfoundland and Labrador
Archives (ANLA) to host a tent at the
Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, held
in Bowring Park in St. John’s. Thank you to
“Airs Apast” volunteers: Beverley Diamond,
Meghan Forsyth, Hadi Milanloo, Saeede Niktab,
Michelle Porter, and Leila Qashu, along with our
ANLA colleagues. These volunteers helped us
run a “Name That Tune” challenge, a song lyric
scavenger hunt, and a mobile listening station.
Photo by Meghan Forsyth
M M a P N e w s l e t t e r S u m m e r 2 0 1 4
Page 16
Get the latest MMaP news:
MMaP is:
http://www.mun.ca/mmap
Director: Beverley Diamond
[email protected], 709.864.3701
Office Administrator: Maureen Houston
[email protected], 709.864.2058
Digital Audio Studio Coordinator: Spencer Crewe
[email protected], 709.864.2057
Project Coordinator, Newsletter Editor: Meghan Forsyth
[email protected], 709.864.2051
Executive Board: Anita Best, Rob Power, Martin Lovelace, Andrea Rose, Neil Rosenberg,
Christina Smith, Cory Thorne, Ellen Waterman, Kati Szego
Community Advisory Board: Joan Andersen, Tim Borlase, Jerry Evans, Anna Kearney Guigné,
Jean Hewson, June Hiscock, Doreen Klassen, Daniel Payne, Jim Payne, Stan Pickett, Eric West