Using Music to Celebrate Culture

Happy (almost) Cinco de Mayo!

Culturally, we are growing as a county and that is something to celebrate, but do we really know the history of the holiday(s) we are so quick to celebrate? I want to take some time to discuss how we use music in our everyday lives to celebrate culture and heritage.

Let’s start with the basics. Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico (and is also largely celebrated in the United States) to honor a military victory that occurred in 1862 over the French forces of Napoleon III. While celebrations in Mexico typically consist of speeches and parades, in the U.S., celebrations usually extend for a week, and the festivals include music, dancing, and food.

So where do you think I’m going with this? According to Hodges and Sebald, “Nearly as common as celebrations themselves is the presence of music in celebration.” Take a minute and really think about that…

Have you ever been to a birthday party where guests didn’t sing Happy Birthday? How about a graduation where Pomp and Circumstance wasn’t played? Have you attended a parade or an event in downtown Frederick and not ran across a dance group or guitarist on the street? Music is everywhere. We like to refer to that as an invariant – a particular aspect of human behavior that is universal. While functions vary from group to group and culture to culture, music is all around us.

Three music researchers (Merriam, Gregory, and Clayton) created three lists respectively that represented the functions of music throughout much of the world. While the role of music may vary greatly, the one thing that can be noted is that it does exist as an integral part of everyday life in society. Below I’ve listed some of the functions and their purpose in society. 

• Emotional Expression
• Aesthetic Enjoyment
• Entertainment
• Communication
• Symbolic Representation
• Physical Response
• Enforcing Conformity to Social Norms
• Validation of Social Institutions/Religious Rituals
• Contributions to the Continuity and Stability of Culture
• Contribution to the Integration of Society

Each of us has a distinct culture/heritage from which we come. Today I invite you to find a song from your culture to share and celebrate with your family. If you have the time and want to use this holiday as a teaching tool with your children, find some Mexican-American music to enjoy; you won’t be disappointed! I’d love to have you share your heritage with us – post a link including some your favorite music from your culture!

References:

The Editors of Encyclopedia Brittanica (2014). Cinco de Mayo. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/118001/Cinco-de-Mayo

Davis, W.B., Gfeller, K.E., & Thaut, M.H. (2008). An introduction to music therapy: Theory and practice.  Silver Spring, Maryland: American Music Therapy Association.

Hodges, D. & Sebald, D. (2011). Music in the human experience: An introduction to music psychology.  New York, New York: Routledge