A Cultural History of Music Education in Cairns and Yarrabah: 1930 to 1970
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ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: Cole, Malcolm Alastair (2014) Tropical sounds: a cultural history of music education in Cairns and Yarrabah: 1930 to 1970. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/41105/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact [email protected] and quote http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/41105/ Tropical Sounds: A Cultural History of Music Education in Cairns and Yarrabah: 1930 to 1970. Malcolm Alastair Cole B. Mus. UQ, Cert. Mus. Ed. Kodaly Institute, Hungary, M. Mus. Ed. UWA Thesis presented to the School of History and the School of Education for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy James Cook University, Cairns. August, 2014. 1 Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge and thank the following people, without whom the study may never have been completed: Dr Janice Wegner and Dr Jo Balatti for their constant work and feedback as supervisors Dominique Sandilants and Sharyn Harrington at the School of Social Science, Cairns Terry, Gil and Nicky at the Cairns Historical Society Brother Barry Lamb at St. Augustine’s College Associate Professor Helen Stowasser Each of the wonderful musicians, teachers and artists who shared their personal and professional stories and their personal artifacts and mementos with me about this rich time in North Queensland Bishop James Leftwich for inviting me to Palm Sunday Service, 2011 Bruce Rigsby for providing a copy of his outstanding report into Yarrabah Mala Neal for inviting me to the granting of Native Title at Yarrabah in December, 2010 Dr Karl Neuenfeldt for his assistance and support with research Staff at the National Library of Australia, National Film and Sound Archive, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Institute Relatives, close friends and colleagues who have shown continued interest in the study My mother and father, Dorothy and Alastair Cole, and mother and father in law, Betty and Gerry O’Connor, whose own concern for history and social development has had a lasting impact on me My three daughters, Paloma, Eugenie and Bella who have followed the study from day one And Anna, for constantly providing ideas and assurance, and always supporting and believing in me and the project. i Statement of the Contribution of Others Assoc. Professor Helen Stowasser (retired) contributed by reading the first full draft of the thesis and provided editorial ideas. Volunteers at the Cairns Historical Society and Brother Barry Lamb provided some research assistance. ii Thesis Abstract Tropical Sounds: A Cultural History of Music Education in Cairns and Yarrabah: 1930 to 1970 The city of Cairns and the Aboriginal township of Yarrabah in North Queensland, Australia, comprise multicultural populations that have rich musical histories. The music education histories of the Aboriginal, Anglo/Celtic and Torres Strait Islander communities of these two locations between 1930 and 1970 were researched to determine how music was learned and taught between generations within cultures, and if any intercultural music transmission took place. The study presents a hitherto non-existent music education history of the two locations as, currently, there is no comprehensive history of music education or indeed, of music in Cairns and Yarrabah. Interviews, newspapers, annual reports of Government departments, recordings, films and other ephemera were researched using a combination of historical ethno-musicological, historical and oral history methodologies. The music learning, teaching and performing processes that included rehearsals, training, music technologies, oral/aural and notation methods, and local and outside experts to raise standards were divided into three contextual fields, namely: • formal music education that occurred in schools and institutions, initiated by government policy • non-formal music education as found in the activities of community music and traditional Indigenous groups • informal music education that occurred in family and social settings. The work of private music teachers using formal examination syllabuses indicated both formal and non-formal contexts and is presented separately. The documented intergenerational music education processes were then analysed using a “communities of practice” theory proposed by Wenger, and a “universals of music teaching” concept by Sheehan-Campbell. Any cross-cultural learning, teaching and performing that occurred was analysed in accordance with cultural theories of change and development iii proposed by Kartomi and Nettl. Schippers’ Twelve Continuum Transmission Framework then assisted in identifying specific issues of context, modes of transmission, dimensions of interaction and approaches to cultural diversity. The study reveals how each culture’s own music was practised and maintained to differing degrees in Cairns and Yarrabah as multicultural communities. Multicultural is described as different cultures co-existing alongside one another rather than interacting with one another, with each being largely self-dependent and relatively narrow in its activities, confirming the ideas of Kartomi and Nettl. Each culture’s music also developed and diversified through varying degrees of intercultural contact, either with one of the others or outside cultures such as that of visiting troops during WWII; and through exposure to developing technologies at a time of rapid technological change in the recording and transmission of music, as predicted by Folkestad and Green. While much education occurred in the formal contexts of schools and private music teachers, a significant amount of music education was transmitted both intergenerationally and interculturally through non-formal and informal processes as indicated in Wenger, Sheehan Campbell and Folkestad. The study assists in comprehending the complex multicultural histories of Cairns and Yarrabah and shows that continuous music education practices in schools, churches, cultural and community groups and among families have produced a rich musical heritage in both locations. The study found that the music education histories of Cairns and Yarrabah effected the creation of some new forms of music unique to the district, a process conforming with Schippers’ theories, and the development of musicians and ensembles that became prominent in local, national and international spheres. This study also gives historical elucidation to the present day comprehensive musical life of multicultural Cairns and Yarrabah. iv Table of Contents Introduction Background to the study ....................................................................................................................... 1 The topic ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 The places .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Statement of the problem ..................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose of the Study: Aims, objectives, research questions .................................................... 4 Limitations ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Theoretical framework ......................................................................................................................... 5 Three Viewpoints Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 6 Definitions ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Music .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Components of music ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Meaning and emotion in music ......................................................................................................................... 16 Culture ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Role/s of music in culture and multi-cultures ............................................................................................... 18 Music as culture ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Cultural identity ...................................................................................................................................................... 21 Location ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Music education .....................................................................................................................................................