20 20 STUDENT MATINEE SERIES STUDY GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Introduction and Welcome 4 About Ranky Tanky 5 Study Guide 6 Colorado Music Standards 7 Website Resources INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME THIS GUIDE COVERS MUSIC, SOCIAL STUDIES, READING, WRITING AND COMMUNICATING. RECOMMENDED FOR GRADES 5-12. ABOUT RANKY TANKY THE GRAMMY NOMINATED GULLAH QUINTET Ranky Tanky is a quintet based in Charleston, South Carolina. Their name means “Work It” or “Get Funky” in Gullah language. They play music based on Gullah tradition, including modern Jazz and Blues. Gullah, meaning “people blessed by God”, and encompasses the culture, language, and people of the South Carolina Islands descended from the enslaved brought from West Africa. Members from left to right: Charlton Singleton, Trumpet and Vocals Quentin Baxter, Percussion Quiana Parler, Vocalist Clay Ross, Guitar and Vocals Kevin Hamilton, Bass STUDY GUIDE Questions Gullah is a Creole language, Learn more about the instruments made up of more than 30 West Ranky Tanky performs on, or the and Central African languages. voice parts they sing. Do you know any other Creole languages? What kind of instruments do they play? (ex. Louisiana Creole, Haitian Creole, Jamaican Creole) What part do they sing – how low or high are What are some words in English or Spanish their voices? (ex. Is Quiana an alto, mezzo-soprano, or soprano? that come from different languages? What about Clay and Charlton?) Ranky Tanky is a quintet. Gullah music has many Quintet means there are five percussion parts. musicians in the band. How do the musicians make those rhythms? Each instrument has a role in playing the melody or the rhythm. Which instruments Are there percussion instruments you haven’t tend to play the melody more, or the rhythm seen before? primarily? (ex. The bass is a member of the rhythm section, but sometimes switches to playing a solo or the melody) Reflection Activities Which songs did you like Draw yourself dancing along dancing to? with Ranky Tanky’s music! STUDY GUIDE Books and Other Resources Dancing the Ring Shout! by Kim L. Siegelson, Lisa Cohen (Illustrator) “It is the first year that Toby is old enough to attend the Ring Shout, a celebration when the hard work of harvest is done, but he cannot find an object that makes a noise which will speak from his heart to God's ears." Children’s picture book for most ages Available at: Denver Public Library Central, Park Hill, and Schlessman Family branches For music classes: Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands by Lydia Parrish Words and music of 60 songs. These are transcriptions of early Gullah songs that Ranky Tanky draws inspiration from. Musical score Available at: Denver Public Library Central branch STUDY GUIDE Background Information The Roots of Gullah Gullah/Geechee of the Lowcountry – meaning regions of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Beaufort Sea Islands Gullah refers to the people, language, and culture of the islands of South Carolina. Geechee refers to the people, language, and culture of the islands of Georgia. Gullah originally derive from the African regions: Sierra Leone, Gambia, Senegal, and Angola. Enslaved people from these African regions brought with them music that would form the foundation of slave songs, spiritual music, and later blues and jazz. Enslaved Gullah on plantations were not allowed to speak with one another. They would use music/work songs to communicate and pass on secret codes or directions to help others gain freedom. (Interactive activity: https://www.knowitall.org/interactive/secret-code-gullah-music ) Language: Gullah is a complex Creole language, made up of more than 30 West African and Central African languages. Musical Characteristics Percussion: gourd instruments, drums, clapping, and stomping. Typically, no melodic or harmonic instruments. Genres and Form: Ring shout – traditional religious ritual/music that is a staple of the Gullah culture. STUDY GUIDE Lesson Plan Ideas Learn about the Gullah culture in the United States. Utilize polyrhythms and call-and-response, critical listening and language skills, musical play, vocal improvisation, and the 12-bar-blues. Discover the rich traditions of the Gullah culture that have helped to shape our American musical culture today. This is meant for use in a wide range of classrooms and grade levels. Connect to history and geography – link South Carolina islands to West African countries on a map Lesson Segments: Knee Bone 1.Listen to Ranky Tanky Perform “Knee Bone” 2.Discuss history of the text 3.Learn call, response, and clapping parts aurally. 4.Once parts are learned, alternate call, response and clapping parts through separate student groups. Gullah Dialect 1.Listen to “That’s All Right” paying attention to lyrics that sound like English words but are perhaps a bit different. 2.Discuss and list words which sound like English words but may be different. 3.Borrowing words and sounds from a word chart, learn how familiar English words are spoken in Gullah. Assessment After hearing an English word from the prepared list, are students able to say the same word in Gullah? Common Gullah words and their English equivalents are listed below… GULLAH ENGLISH Bud Birds Gal Girl Colorado Music Standards Mammy Mother CAS MU20 5.1.1 Tank You Thank You CAS MU20 5.1.2 Dis This CAS MU20 5.1.3 'cept Except CAS MU20 5.2.1 Gwine Going CAS MU20 5.3.3 Ober Ya Over Here CAS MU20 5.4.1 Dat That CAS MU20 5.4.2 Yessum Yes Sir STUDY GUIDE Web Resources Freedman, S. G. (2011, July 7). A Black cultural tradition and its unlikely keepers. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/us/18religion.html Georgia’s Gullah-Geechee Heritage: MUSIC & LANGUAGE. https://libguides.ccga.edu/gullahgeechee/audio Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. https://www.gullahgeecheecorridor.org/thegullahgeechee/ Gullah Music Activites. https://www.knowitall.org/series/gullah-music-activities Gullah TV. What is Gullah. http://gullah.tv/what-is-gullah/ PBS Learning Corridor video of Gullah performers singing and dancing. https://rmpbs.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/vtl07.la.rv.text.gullmusic s/gullah-music/#.XIfSnohKiUk Ranky Tanky. Bio. https://www.rankytanky.com/ Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.gullahgeecheecorridor.org/thegullahgeechee/ South Carolina State Library. Black History Resources: Gullah Culture. http://guides.statelibrary.sc.gov/black-history/gullah Sumpter, A. (2006, March 31). Geechee and Gullah culture [blog post]. Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts- culture/geechee-and-gullah-culture The Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration. (2019). The resourceful origins of Gullah music. Gullah Magazine. http://gullahcelebration.com/gullah-magazine/education/the- resourceful-origins-of-gullah-music.