Lronfzfoof NEWSLETIER of the ITALIAN FOLK ART FEDERATION of AMERICA
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LRonfzfoof NEWSLETIER OF THE ITALIAN FOLK ART FEDERATION OF AMERICA VOLUME 6 1985 NUMBER 1 UPDATE ON N.E.A. GRANT MUSICA POPOLARE As previously reported, The National Endowment for the "Musica Popolare," the Ethnic Folk Arts Center's Italian Arts, Washington, D.C., has awarded I.F .A.F.A. a matching Music Tour, traveled to a number of communities in the grant to produce a series of L.P. albums of Italian folk music northeast in October, 1984. and songs performed by first·generation Italian immigrants Dr. Anna Chairetak is introduced the program: living in the U.S. N •• • You have just heard 'La suonata processionale' Anna Chairetakis, Project Director, is pleased to report processional music - fol/owed by the 'Shepherd's Quadrille,' that all recordi ng has been completed, and distribution is played by Michele Strollo & Rocco Carbone of Colliano, expected in 1985. Salerno. The four L.P. records are: We welcome you to Musica Popolare, a concert tour I. "La Baronessa di Carini" (Baroness of Carini) of traditional southern /lalian music. The performers in this Traditional Sicilian songs of passion, romance and event are exceptionally fine traditional artists from the devotion, recorded in Western New York . regions of Campania and Sicily, coming from Italy, and an II. "Nu Fazzu Cchiu lu Carritteri" (I won't go anymore outstanding group from Calabria, living in the United States. as a cart·driver) Accompanying the overseas performers is Paolo Apolito, Traditiona I Sicilian songs and music of work Professor of Anthropology at the University of Salerno, who entertainment and satire, recorded in Western N.Y. will be glad, I'm ·sure, to talk with you after the performance III. "Mo Simu Venuti, Mo Simu Arrivati" (Now we've about the music and the performers_ come, now we've arrived) Many Italian Americans of the 2nd and 3rd generations, Traditional southern Italian music and songs from the descendents of the first big immigration, have come to Calabria, Campania, Basilicata and Abruzzi, recorded identify Neapolitan urban music, which emerged in its in Western N.Y . and Southern Ontario. present form in the late 19th century, as the core of their IV. "Cantate con Noi" (Sing with us) traditional music, and sometimes as the badge of their ethnic Choral songs from Istria and the Alps, and identity. The same is true of the gay, sophisticated old-fashioned songs and music from South-Central Neapolitan tarantella, as well as of the choral arrangements Italy, recorded in Western New York and Southern of regional favorities such as 'Vola Vola,' 'Sciuri Sciuri,' Ontario. 'Calabrisella' and others. Anyone interested in receiving further up-dates and As appealing, familiar, and powerful as these expressions releases as soon as they become avai lable, should write to are, the southern Italian folk music tradition encompasses I.F.A.F.A. (Continued on Page 2) THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHNIC CULTURE IN AMERICA The concept of "folk culture" includes meet the demands of modern life, one then, folk science among even the ven the entire panorama of the traditional would assume that the average layperson isolated peoples has been developed to a beliefs, activities, skills and art forms of a would be as enthralled by ethnic folk much higher degree of sophistication than people. These philosophical, physicial and culture as he or she is with television we might have suspected. aesthetic components endure over time as programs like 60 Minutes, Nova, or The first job of the folklorist, they are passed on from one generation Mystery. Oddly enough, there seem to be ethnomusicologist, or anthropologist to the next by word-of-mouth or by only two types of people who are working with ethnic folk culture is to customary example. They also evolve interested in their ethnic folk cultures - describe the culture or one of its over time, responding to new contexts, those members of an ethnic group who components in great detail. Such forever changing (sometimes subtly, participate actively in their own culture documentation subsequently is heard by sometimes dramatically) to meet new and those members of the academic other scholars to determine which details circumstances and new needs. community who specialize in the study of are characteristic of the culture, which Because of differing conditions, the man. The concerns of the professional innovations are cutural trends, and which folk culture of an ethnic group in practi tioners and the professional are simply one-time occurences_ Once it America develops into a form which is observers of folk culture may sometimes becomes obvious that a widespread distinct from that of members of the turn out to be the very forces that change is underway, the rules which same group who remained in their land of perpetuate the general lack of interest in dictate how these changes take place can origin. An extreme example is the Amish traditional culture. be discovered. The lessons ethnic folk culture can who, because of severe religious When folklorists, ethnomusicologists, teach go beyond the rather esoteric persecution in their Swiss homeland, left anthropologists, and the like work with a interests of the academic community. Europe in large numbers and came to folk community, studying the people and What the layperson can learn is that all America. The Amish who stayed in their culture, they publish their findings peoples have to meet the same needs Europe eventually merged with Swiss in articles and books intended solely for (food, cloth ing, and shelter). answer the Mennonite congregations and were the academic audience. Scholars in a entirely assimilated, whereas the Amish in single discipline do not feel that they same ultimate questions (about the existence of a supreme being, life after America have not only retai ned their must convince one another of the tndividuality but have grown in number. importance of their field, so their writings death, and the difference between right and wrong), respond to the same urges (to At present there are 160 Amish church seldom tackle the question - why do imbue the surroundings with a sense or districts in Ohio alone. they study traditional culture? order, rhythm, and beauty). TheSE: needs, Further, separate colonies of a si~le The scholar is interested in folk culture questions and urges, though shared by all ethnic group all settling in America but in for what it can teach us about humanity, humans, are met differently by different different localities also develop the human mind, and, therefore, groups. Each group must act in accord differently from one another. The Cajuns ourselves. For instance, many peoples with its surroundings, which vary greatly of Louisiana, the early settlers of the Old previously considered to be extremely throughout the world and through Mines district in Missouri, and the French primitive, living in areas long enough to history. If we understand that fact, we Canadains of Quebec are all, become familiar with the native flora, see that all the cultural manifestations of theoretically, French. In reality, however, developed complex systems I)f folk every culture of the world and every they are as different from one another as medicine based on herbal lore. Scientists ethnic folk culture in America have a vital can be in their foodways, architecture, now find that the ingredients of these role for the members of that group and dialect, music and custom s. traditional herbal medicines are often that all cultures are equally valid. 0 Considering the alway s- changing world id entical , although in natural form, to Ms. Zygas is Executive Director of in which our ethnic communities find th ose be i ng synthesized by Peoples and Cultures and is a doctoral themselves and the fascinating ways the pharmaceutical companies for use in candidate in folklore at Indiana old traditions are continually reshaped to modern prescr iption d rugs. Obviously, University in Bloom ington. MUSICA POPOLARE circle and sing in three overlapping parts - leader, chorus, (Continued from Page 1) and high drone voice, The effect is similar to the sound of much more. Just as Italy has many spoken dialects, she also bagpipes. This is an antique form of harmony ; scholars who has many identifiable focal traditions and many musical have researched the history of music in the Mediterranean languages. Historical processes, a convoluted geography, late area say that It may predate the Roman period. national unification, and uneven development in the Sooth Due to the popularity of its program, the EthniC Folk Arts have combined to create and nourish many beautiful local Center of New York City is requesting funds from the and regional cultures which are still cherished and enjoyed by National Endowment for the Arts and the Italian Ministry of those who live in them_" Foreign Affairs to have a similar program in late 1985.0 After Dr . Chairetakis's remark s, a delightful and vibrant Anna Chairetak is, Project Director, is an anthropologist in program of southern Italian folk songs and dances followed . Cultural Anthropology at Columbia University. Recently the Most unusual was the Coro Calabrese, doing the Villanella, Italian government bestowed upon her the title of Cavaliere Calabrian style. for her unique and scholarly contributions to I talian folk I n this Calabrian Vi Ilanella, several singers stand ina closed arts. 2 I BALLERINI HOST-uSBANDIERATORI" FLAG WAVERS FROM CORI, NEAR ROME, ITALY by Elba F. Gurzau are thrown high in the air, they come the sides and held together with a belt. I BALLERINI of Philadelphia, assisted down with the flag flying above. Costumes are colorful and sometimes by members of the Reading, PA. and The performers can throw flags while trimmed with gold braids. Sometimes the Vineland, N.J.