Music of Fiji
Fiji is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. Though geographically Melanesian, Fijian music is more Polynesian in character. Nevertheless, Fijian folk styles are distinct in their fusion of Polynesian and Melanesian traditions. Folk music is dominated by vocal church music, as well as dances characterized by rich harmony and complex percussion made from slit drums or natural materials.
Folk music
Like their Polynesian neighbours, modern Fijians play guitar, ukulele and mandolin along with a variety of indigenous instruments, most commonly lali drums, which are now used to call the people of an area together. Lali drums were an important part of traditional Fijian culture, used as a form of communication to announce births, deaths and wars. A smaller form of the lali drum (lali ni meke) is used as a form in instrumentation. Meke is a kind of spiritual folk dance, in which dancers bodies are said to be possessed by spirits. Other percussion instruments include the derua, which are tubes made of bamboo which are stamped on mats or on the ground. Other dances included the women's dele, which humiliated enemy prisoners sexually, and the men's cibi, which uses spears and clubs [1].
Indian music draws heavily from rural North Indian and some of the Southern states in
India. Most popular are Bhajans - a devotional music based accompanied by harmonium and
dholak (drums). Many Indians now also export bhajan CDs for large Fiji Indian diaspora in Canada,
A notable Fijian Born Indian Classical Musician is internationally renowned tabla player and ghazal singer Cassius Khan [2] who has collaborated with some great world musicians, and is the only known musician in the world who plays tabla and sings ghazals simultaneously. He is currently based in Edmonton, and is recognized as one of the treasures of Canada as he has received the "Salute to Excellence" Award, and has many albums to his credit.
Pop
In the 1980s, Fijian performers like Laisa Vulakoro and Lagani Rabukawaqa became pan-Pacific stars. Vulakoro is especially well-known for her part in creating vude, a popular style that combines disco, country and island music (especially the meke rhythm) and rock and roll.[1]
Other modern performers include the bands Nuku Katudrau, Karuna Gopalan, Black Rose, Danny Costello,[2] Michelle Rounds, Seru Serevi and The Freelancers.[3]
Fiji is especially known for the field of Fijian reggae.
| Polynesian music |
|---|
| Easter Island - Fiji - Hawaii - Samoa -
Tonga - Tuvalu - Wallis and Futuna French Polynesia: Austral - Marquesas and Tahiti - Tuamotus |
External links
- Artist View
- Music in Fiji
- [3] Cassius Khan, the Indian Classical music phenomenon
Notes and References
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