A Case Study of Form and Function of Children's Songs
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“WHY DO YOU SING TO ME?” A CASE STUDY OF FORM AND FUNCTION OF CHILDREN’S SONGS IN THE CARIBBEAN DIASPORA CULTURE IN SOUTH FLORIDA A MASTER’S THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BY FINLEY WADE WALKER IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ETHNOMUSICOLOGY APRIL 27, 2014 Copyright 2014 by Finley Walker Thanks to my beautiful, godly wife whose love and support has helped me to accomplish far greater than I could have on my own. Without you, I would not be graduating this May! ii CONTENTS Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................v Illustrations .................................................................................................................................... vi Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ vii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ viii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................3 Need for the Study ...............................................................................................................3 Purpose Statement ................................................................................................................3 Research Question & Sub-Questions ...................................................................................4 Limitations/Delimitations of the Study ................................................................................4 Assumptions .........................................................................................................................6 Chapter 2: Literature Review ...........................................................................................................7 Cognitive Considerations ...................................................................................................15 Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................................21 Research Design.................................................................................................................21 Strategy of Inquiry .............................................................................................................22 Role of Researcher .............................................................................................................23 Data Collection Strategies..................................................................................................24 Data Analysis Procedures ..................................................................................................24 Verification ........................................................................................................................26 Findings..............................................................................................................................26 Chapter 4: Research Findings ........................................................................................................27 Fieldwork/Interview Findings ............................................................................................27 Overview of Songs .............................................................................................................28 Some Factors ......................................................................................................................30 Analysis..............................................................................................................................41 Distinctions ............................................................................................................41 Purposes/Motivations .............................................................................................45 Text Examples .......................................................................................................58 iii Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions, & Recommendations.............................................................61 Summary ............................................................................................................................61 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................62 Recommendations ..............................................................................................................64 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................66 A: Audio & Other Children Resources ..............................................................................66 B: Recruitment Letter Template ........................................................................................68 C: Consent Form – Adult ...................................................................................................69 D: Consent Form – Child ...................................................................................................72 E: Child Assent Form.........................................................................................................75 F: Interview Questions Template .......................................................................................76 G: Participant Families ......................................................................................................78 H: Interview Summaries ....................................................................................................79 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................83 iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank all of my family, friends, and professors who have been with me throughout this journey. Word cannot express the affection I hold for each of you in my heart. Thank you to Dr. John Benham, Dr. Katherine Morehouse, and Dr. George McDow for all your support and leadership over the past few years. Your constructive guidance and labors of love have made me a better student, thinker, and writer. Most of all, thank you Lord Jesus, without whom, nothing would be possible and nothing would have purpose. May this bring You glory. v ILLUSTRATIONS Tables 1. Steps to Analyze Data ........................................................................................24 2. Word Frequencies ..............................................................................................27 Figures 1. Melody Examples ..............................................................................................43 2. Text Examples ...................................................................................................58 vi GLOSSARY Diaspora : a movement or migration from the land and culture of birth. Lullaby : a song typically sung by mothers in a soft and slow fashion with the intent of aiding their child in falling asleep. Children’s song : a song created for the specific sub-culture group of children within any given society. Children’s songs are typically composed by adults, but are usually performed by both children and adults. Caribbean : a term used to describe and denote a nation or culture that is geographically located in the Caribbean Sea and is anatomically an island. Qualitative : a research design that implements an inductive style of investigation. Focus is given to personal interaction through interviews, observations, and participation. Grounded Theory : a strategy of inquiry based on human experiences about a phenomenon as described by participants. The procedure may involve interviewing and observing several participants in order to develop patterns and relationships of meaning. vii ABSTRACT How does a child gain a musical identity? Music resides in the depths of personhood. Even before birth we are all touched by its power. Music is a language in that it communicates— thoughts, feelings, desires, information, and more. As children grow physically and mentally, they also grow musically. A person’s musical development will be directly influenced by their culture and family. The following qualitative study looks at the form and function of children’s songs, specifically children’s songs from the diasporic Caribbean culture in South Florida. Twenty-one interviews, including 53 participants, were conducted to see how children’s songs might play a significant role in preserving and developing culture. The data is grounded in the views of the participants, and the individual families and their experiences were prioritized in the final analysis. The purpose of this study was to understand the motivation of children’s songs from various culture groups and the importance that these songs played in the lives of the children. The nuances within a family unit can be extraordinarily diverse, and therefore, the research to follow may be the beginnings of a theory for family and music. Families use children’s songs for multiple purposes including: preserving cultural heritage, comforting their child,