There’s a new band from Iceland that’s recently been getting a lot of well-deserved attention. Mixing their own original rock-oriented music with traditional Icelandic songs, this group of 4 friends from the town of Mosfellsbaer; near Reykjavik, is taking the world by storm. And shaking the foundations of the Earth. By performing inside a volcano. Yes, you read that right. Their last video took about 26 hours to shoot and was filmed inside the Prihnukagigur volcano, which thankfully has not erupted in the last 4,000 years.
You can see the video shot of the song “Way Down We Go” here.
And if that song sounds familar, there’s a good reason. Its been used widely in television programs such as HBO’s The Leftovers, NBC’s Game of Silence, Fox’s Empire as well as for FIFA 2016. But the song that’s most caught our ear is their haunting cover of an Icelandic ballad titled ‘Vor í vaglaskógi’. Says band leader, Julius: “It’s a love story between a couple. What’s beautiful about it is really how it describes a moment. This spring night that they’re having in this forest. And how they describe the nature and everything that’s going around on this beautiful spring or summer night. I think that really lead people to start listening to our other songs and discovering the band itself.”
You can hear Kaleos studio version of that song along with a video montage of Icelandic images, here:
Is Kaleo a multicultural phenomenon? Although from Icelandic roots, they chose a name that means “the sound” in Hawaiian and have relocated to Austin, Texas in the United States to prepare for recording more music and touring. Members of the group include bandleader, Julius Son, David Antonsson (drums), Daniel Kristjansson (bass) and Rubin Pollock (guitar). For more information on the band plus schedules for upcoming shows, check out the official Kaleo website at http://www.officialkaleo.com/.
If you’ve ever seen authentic traditional music or dance from Hawaii, you’ve probably been struck by its beauty, grace and uniqueness. Although some of the instruments and traditions share roots in Polynesian culture, the islands of Hawaii have developed musical traditions and instruments that are deeply distinctive and singularly beautiful. And so many of the instruments are truly unusual – such as a knee-pad drum covered with the skin of a unicorn fish, gourd nose flutes, coconut bullroarers and even pairs of smooth river rocks used in a manner similar to castanets.
For a wonderful exploration of the percussion instruments used in Hawaiian music, check out the book: How To Make Hawaiian Musical Instruments, by Jim Widess. The book has detailed explanations of each instrument, historical background and many photos of the instruments being used by traditional players. Although the book is set up as a series of tutorials, the information is so good and so beautifully photographed that it serves as an exceptional introduction into the world of Hawaiian music.
What are the instruments detailed in the book? Take a look at the names plus brief descriptions below and hopefully it will make you curious enough to delve deeper into traditional Hawaiian Culture.
Ipu heke ‘ole and Ipu heke – (single and double) gourd percussion
‘Uli’uli – small gourd rattle
Pu’ili Split – bamboo rods split at one end and struck together
‘Ohe ka’eke’eke – stamping tubes made from bamboo
Ili’ile – river rocks used by dancers as percussion
Kala’au – hula sticks
Papa Hehi – footboard or treadle board (stepped upon to play)
Bell Stone – large stone which resonates like a bell when struck
Puniu – coconut knee drum
Ka – beater for coconut drum made from ti leaves
Pahu hula – large standing drum from a coconut palm
‘Ukeke – musical bow
Oeoe – bullroarer made from a coconut
‘Ohe hano ihu – bamboo nose flute
Ipu hokiokio – gourd nose flute
Pu kani – conch shell trumpet
Links And Resources
Make Your Own Hawaiian Instruments Book – New Or Used on On Amazon
Although it’s a truly unique and amazing–sounding instrument, there’s very little information available about the history of gourd water drums. It’s clear that they are used in certain areas in Africa and that they show up in Mayan archives as “bubulek” water drums. In present day Mexico they are called jicara de agua and their history can also be traced to the Yaqui and Yoeme Indigenous people who called these floating gourd water drums, baa wehai.
What, exactly is a gourd water drum? Generally made from 3 sturdy pieces of dried gourds, a small ring holds the larger “gourd bowl”, up-side-down in place. That larger gourd is filled with water. The smaller gourd is placed right-side-up, gently on the water’s surface where it is hit with a stick or tapped with fingers, palms or knuckles to create the unique, deep and resonant sound associated with this instrument.
While checking out LA born drummer and percussionist, Christopher Garcia, we found some really great information on the Yaqui and Yoeme roots of floating gourd water drums. Although several musicologists identify this drum as part of the Yaqui Deer Dance (Mazotiwua), Garcia explains how a special beater is used called a baa jiponia, made from a stick wrapped in a corn husk. He also shares some great pictures and basic information on a related instrument, called hirukiam which consist of a gourd facing down and a rasp laid across it, then scraped. The result is a “natural speaker” and another really unique sound creation. Links to Christopher Garcia’s music and website can be found below.
Sounds Like?
Watch this video from Germany and you’ll be able to both see and hear several techniques for playing the gourd water drum:
Michael Heralda of Aztec Stories Shows You How To Make A Gourd Water Drum
Also a wealth of information on ancient Mexican culture and musical traditions, Michael Heralda has two informative step-by-step videos that show you how to create your own gourd water drums. You’ll notice that his drums not only sound good, but are beautifully decorated. For more information on his music, instruments, stories and other resources, visit the link below.
Here are his two gourd water drum-making videos from Youtube:
But who would guess that cultures all around the world would not only admire it’s beauty but also figure out that – with a few minor modifications – it becomes a completely functional, natural trumpet! Among others, there are conch trumpets heard in music from the South Pacific, Tibet, Korea and pre-Incan cultures. Archeological finds and older documents also place it in Aztec culture and ceremonies as well. Here’s a bit more about the Aztec conch shell trumpet.
Pictured here is a musician called a “quiquizoani” playing the conch shell. The name is in the Nahuatl Indigenous language of Mexico and this specific image can be found on page 23 of the Aztec Codex “Magliabecchi”, currently preserved and archived at the University of Utah in the United States.
One of the best sites for information on Aztec instruments, including great pictures from archeological sites and historical references is Mexicolore.com (see resources below). Their research shows that there were 7 different types of conch shells and that the largest was called the ‘quiquiztli’. As you might imagine, the shell trumpet was highly symbolic and associated with the breath of life as well as the rhythms of the sea. Similarly, it was associated with the call to prayer, marking time during the day and during the night, the moon, fertility and Ehécatl – the Aztec God of the Wind.
Research also shows that conch shell trumpets were used by the Aztec military in a manner similar to modern day bugles.
Conch Shells in The USA
Closer to home, conch shells are part of a unique contest in the Florida Keys. Although the tradition of blowing the conch trumpet dates back over 200 years, it was originally used mainly for maritime signaling. Recently, however, the contest is a lot more colorful with contestants that vary in age from 3 – 83 and even perform with unique outfits, hula hoops and other novelty approaches.
Want to find out more about this modern conch contest? Check out the link below for some amazing variations on this ancient musical theme
What Does A Conch Trumpet Sound Like?
Check out this short video where a young buy demonstrates how to cut the conch shell and how to practice getting the trumpet sound.
Although Earth Day began in the USA in 1970, the idea of loving and caring for our planet is a universal concept. When I was growing up, I remember hearing a Native American group sing the words: “The Earth Is Our Mother, We Must Take Care of Her”. All over the globe, people express their love for “Mother Earth” through music, songs, culture and in so many other meaningful ways.
In 2004, I adapted a new version of the beautiful African-American spiritual: “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” and added lyrics based on a project done with elementary school students. Since that time, the song has been used in China, Singapore, South America, Scotland and in dozens of other venues across the world. This year, a wonderful bilingual blogger translated the lyrics into Spanish.
Spanish Translation
The Spanish version was written by Cecilia Fencer, head and heart of Spanglish.house.com . She loves diversity and equality. Translating this spiritual to an Earth Day captured her imagination because she believes God made us responsible to take care of his creation.
(Lyrics to the original “We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands” song can be seen below as well as a video of a project using the song in Malaysia.)
Tenemos Todo El Mundo En Nuestras Manos
New version of lyrics in English
c 1994 Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou
c 2104 Spanish translation Cecelia Fencer
Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos.
Debemos reciclar, ahora que podemos. Reducir, reusar y reciclar Reducir y reciclar ahora que podemos. Tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos.
Tenemos plantas y animales en nuestra tierra, plantas y animales en nuestra tierra. Tenemos plantas y animales en nuestra tierra. Tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos.
Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos.
Tomemonos de las manos, como hermanos. Tomemonos de las manos como hermanos. Tomemonos de las manos como hermanos, tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos
Encuentra tus sueños y haz lo que puedas, ten tus anhelos y lucha por ellos. Encuentra tus sueños y haz lo que puedas, tenemos al mundo en nuestras manos.
Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos. Tenemos todo el mundo en nuestras manos.
We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands
(Sung To The Tune of: He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands)
We’ve got the whole world, in our hands We’ve got the whole world, in our hands We’ve got the whole world, in our hands We’ve got the whole world in our hands
We should recycle now – all that we can Recycle now – all that we can Recycle now – all that we can We’ve got the whole world in our hands
Be kind to the plants and animals – of our land Be kind to the plants and animals – of our land Be kind to the plants and animals – of our land We’ve got the whole world in our hands
Join hands with sisters and brothers – throughout the land Join hands with sisters and brothers – throughout the land Join hands with sisters and brothers – throughout the land We’ve got the whole world in our hands
Clean up pollution – everywhere we can Clean up pollution – everywhere we can Clean up pollution – everywhere we can We’ve got the whole world in our hands
Dream your bright dream – then do all that you can Dream your bright dream – then do all that you can Dream your dream – then do all that you can We’ve got the whole world in our hands
We’ve got the whole world, in our hands We’ve got the whole world, in our hands We’ve got the whole world, in our hands We’ve got the whole world in our hands
Although you might not recognize the name “erhu”(二胡; pinyin: èrhú, [êɻxǔ]), you would immediately know it’s distinctive sound. One of a family of stringed, bowed instruments from China, the erhu is sometimes called a Chinese fiddle, a 2 stringed violin, a southern or spike fiddle and it’s origins date back at least a thousand years ago to when it was brought to China by the Xi people of Central Asia.
From these humble beginning, the versatile and evocative sound of the erhu has won it a major place in Chinese orchestras, as well as a starring role in modern musical ensembles including, jazz, pop and even rock groups.
How Is The Erhu Made?
The erhu is an unusual instrument in many ways. It consists of a small sounding box made of a hard wood, such as sandlewood, that was traditionally covered with snake or python skin. Some musicians and orchestras; such as the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, have recently sought out more ecologically-friendly versions and developed a series of erhu and related instruments that are made from a polyester membrane instead of snakeskin.
The bow used for an erhu was originally made of a bamboo stick strung with horsehair.
Is It A Violin?
Although the sound of the erhu is similar to the Western violin in many ways, there are several striking differences. First, the erhu has two strings and the violin has four. Next, the erhu is played on the lap of the musician while the violin rests between the shoulder and chin of its player. Also, on the erhu the strings are pressed but do not touch the fingerboard and the bow does not leave the strings. On the violin, fingers touch the fretboard to create different notes and the bow will move on and off the strings while it is being played.
If you take a look at the video below from Danwei TV, you’ll be able to see many of the unique qualities of this beautiful traditional instrument from China.
If you’d like to print out a version of the erhu coloring page seen above, you can visit the links below.
Playing The Erhu
One musician comments on playing the instrument and performs a popular folk song called “Running River” on the erhu.
Resources
B+W coloring page of the erhu from DARIA’s world music for children site:
A shekere (or sekere) is a beautiful and unique instrument originating in West Africa that appears in various shapes, sizes and forms throughout the continent of Africa. Made from a simple dried gourd with a beaded “skirt”, shekeres are a great addition to any environment where children are learning about music or world cultures.
If you’re finding it hard to locate or purchase a shekere for your classroom, home or homeschool, you might consider making your own. Other then the dried gourd, the additional materials are easy to find and the beading process is “easy to moderate” for beginning crafters. In fact, since the stringing and beading is the part of the process that generates the most questions and confusion, we’ve partnered with Carrie P. from a wonderful blog called Crafty Moms Share to develop a step-by-step tutorial for making your own dried gourd shekere. (Complete gourd tutorial and other related shekere posts can be found at the links below).
Beads, Seeds, Nuts or Seashells
Along with beads, almost any small, roundish, rattling object can be used as the noise-makers on a shekere. If you take a close look at the shekeres pictured above, you’ll notice beads as well as seeds woven into the netting. In Africa, some shekeres also use seashells or hard seeds or nuts with holes drilled though them as part of their unique design.
Add Some String
The skirt of a shekere is created from a type of string or twine that is durable and will not break or stretch. Since cotton twine will stretch, nylon or hemp is a better choice for creating a working shekere. Because the top circle or collar of the netting holds all the other strings in place, some craftspeople pick a thicker string for this or braid the twine for a more durable start to the project.
And Some Knots!
With your collar in place around the gourds neck, you are ready to add the strings.
Cut a number of strings (enough to fit around the gourd) approximately 30 inches long. Fold each string in half and make a slip knot with it around the collar. To make a slip knot, put the folded string under the collar with the fold on top and then bring the ends through the loop of the fold and collar and tighten.
Once you have all the strings you desire in place you will tie a loop knot to secure each location. A loop knot is where you make a “6” with your strings and bring the end through the loop of it. This is the type of knot we will be using for the rest of the project.
Add The Beads
Here are Carrie’s great suggestions for getting the hang of adding beads to the skirt:
Adding the beads is where you creativity really comes into play.
You can do many different things with the beads. Some put a bead on each string, others put two strings through a bead. Some put a single bead between knots and others go up to three beads before knotting. The important thing is to work with a string from two different knots.
Once you have your bead(s) in place, tie a loose loop knot. I re-started many of mine because I did not like how the first round looked and found they lay better with looser knots. Do an entire round before starting the next.
Once you have one round complete, start the next. Stay consistent with however you’ve started with beads and knots, but again you want to use strings from different knots. This will bring the beads in the first round closer together. Continue doing a round at a time until you have the skirt you want.
Finish The Instrument!
Here are Carrie’s two descriptions for two methods of finishing the skirt and completing the shekere:
Method 1: The first is to have another loop similar to the collar (braided if you used braided) and the same size. Then you tie your ends to the loop so it hangs loosely below the gourd.
Method 2: If your gourd is small you can take an 8-inch string and tie the ends together. This is easier to do with another person holding your shekere for you to tie them together.
Making Music!
If you take a look at the resources below you’ll find many wonderful ways to check out the sound of traditional shekeres or explore music with the ones you’ve created.
Many musical instruments are made from natural materials.
A few actually are the raw materials and can be played as instruments in their natural form. For instance, the pacay shaker is the seed pod of a large, beautiful tree that also creates the pacay fruit and bean – both foods used by Central and South American people dating back to Incan times!
So, what is a pacay tree? When fully grown, it can tower up to 60 feet and produces long seed pods – some over a foot in length. The ripe, bright green fruit are picked and eaten in two ways. The white fiber between the seeds is eaten as the fruit and the seeds are used in much the same way as any bean. A website called Phoenix Tropicals has lots of great growing tips about this warm climate tree for anyone interested in growing it outside of it’s native Central or South America.
What does the fruit of the pacay taste like? It’s sometimes called the ”ice cream bean” and people describe the fiber as “sweet” and “refreshing”. The seeds are also eaten. In Central America, the seeds are cooked and served like a bean or other vegetable. In Mexico, the seeds are roasted and sold as snacks or treats. And – obviously – if the seed pods are left to dry, the beans dry inside the pod and create the shaking and rattling sound that turns this from a food into a musical instrument.
How do you play a pacay shaker? Rattle it back and forth up and down, start slowly and build a crescendo. Hold it in one hand and tap it against the other. Or just sit back and admire it as a work of art of nature – one more of it’s beautiful and useful creations.
Links
Wkipedia Page Containing Historic Information on the Pacay Tree
Chapchas are a truly unique rattle that originated in the Andes of South America. Made from the discarded hooves of goats or sheep strung onto a bracelet, this instrument is heard in much of the folk music of Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador and other countries of this region.
How are chapchas made? After the hooves are clipped and boiled to sterilize them, a needle is inserted into the upper part of the nails making a small hole. The hooves are then strung or sewn onto a colorful piece of fabric and each one of the dried hooves rattles against the others creating the sound of the instrument.
Why do Andean people use these unusual items as part of their musical instruments? The answer is simple. If you visit some of the remote villages in the high Andes, you’ll see that there are a minimum number of plants, no trees and few other materials that can be used to create instruments. Essentially everything is used, recycled or reused as part of lifestyle in the high mountains. And that includes the toenails of goats!
Although all cultures in the world make music, learning about unique instruments like the chapchas can be a great way to explore world cultures through music. You can hear chapchas as part of DARIA’s latest album of songs from the Andes and you can also color an image of this unique rattle at the link below.
Resources And Links
Free Chapchas Coloring Page from Teachers Pay Teachers:
Have you ever heard a rainstick? It’s a long, mainly hollow tube that makes a quiet sound when tilted from side to side, very much like running water or gentle rain.
What Makes The Rainstick Sound?
Originally rainsticks were made of natural materials such as the dried lengths of the chola cactus. These long “arms” of dried cacti have small spikes inside so when they are filled with pebbles, seeds or small objects, the contents can’t easily swish back and forth. Instead, the seeds, pebbles or beads gently fall between the spikes creating the unique sound associated with the rainstick. You often see these instruments in South America in countries such as Chile or in the American Southwest, where these cacti are plentiful.
Make A Mailing Tube Rainstick
Since most people don’t have dried cacti in their recycling bin, here’s a way you can reuse an old mailing tube or poster container and still make a great-sounding instrument. If you can’t find one of these at home, ask around. Chances are good your recycling needs can be met by a neighbor or family friend and you can save one more object from getting into the waste stream!
Creating The Rainstick Effect
To turn a mailing tube into a rainstick, you need to find a way to create an obstruction – something that will block the materials inside from falling at one time. In bamboo or gourd rainsticks, a series of wooden spikes are used. Instead of that approach, we’ll create a wire “maze” using a combination of floral wire/jewelry wire (or any lightweight wire) and pipecleaners.
Twisted wire ready to be placed inside the mailing tube
Cut a length of wire about two to three times the length of the tube. If you cover the ends with a bit of tape, it’s easy for a child to help scrunch the wire up giving it many twists and turns in a way that will still fit inside the diameter of the tube. Then, twist in some pipecleaners cut in half, throughout the length of your tangled wire. All these things will help catch the contents as they go from side to side to create the pleasing “falling water” effect.
Tune Your Rainstick
The sound of your rainstick will vary greatly depending on what you decide to put into it as well as how much of that item you choose to add. For a quieter rainstick, use smaller objects such as seed beads, birdseed or tiny pasta such as pastina or acini de pepe. Slightly louder are objects like rice, dried lentils, small buttons or paper clips. Even louder are larger dried beans, pebbles, marbles or any large macaroni.
Here’s a good way of “tuning” your rainstick. Have several bowls of contents nearby. Close one end of your rainstick and add the contents. Seal the other end and try the sound. Dump it back into your bowl and try another. What sound is most pleasing to you? Or mix and match contents. It’s a fun way of experimenting with sound to discover what sounds best to your ear.
Once you’ve decided on the perfect sound for your rainstick, there are lots of creative ways to decorate the outside of the instrument. You can color with crayons or permanent markers, create stripes from colorful tape, or even decoupage photos or magazine pictures onto the tube. You can paint a coat of glue on the rainstick and slowly wind different colors of yard around it. You can also cut squares or small pieces of fabric, cover them with a layer of glue and create a quilt or collage effect for a beautiful handmade rainstick. Feel free to get creative and make something that is truly unique!
Play Your Rainstick
Rainsticks are most often played by simply turning them upside down. However, you can also hold them horizontally and shake the contents back and forth like a rattle or shake the stick as the contents fall producing some nice variations in ways to play this simple but versatile instrument!
Make A Mailing Tube Rainstick 
Making Multicultural Music 