PAKISTAN: MUSIC AND DANCE

Pakistan’s music has pretty much borrowed the musical traditions from everyone around it: from India and South Asia to Central Asia to the Middle East as well as various Western styles. 

 

And because Pakistan is in the middle of many religious hotspots (not to mention they created their country specifically as a Muslim state), it’s no wonder that religious music is a significant portion of their traditional music. One of the most widely known types of religious music is called hamd. While it’s mostly used with Islamic texts, it’s also used by Christians in Pakistan as well. Hamd is actually a type of sung poetry that is aimed at expressing the singer’s love for Allah (or God). Naat is a similar form, except that it sings praises and love to the Prophet Muhammad. Qawalli is a type of music from Chishiti Sufis used as devotional music. This music is supposed to bring people to a spiritual trance-like state, known as wajad.

In other traditional forms, one of the big ones is called ghazal. The word is related to the word “gazelle.” This musical style consists of a poetic style of rhyming couplets, even though there are many strict rules to the actual composition of it. At the heart of the ghazal, the lyrics essentially point to the idea that even though there may be a separation or loss of a lover, there’s still beauty in that love. Typically, women have been excluded from qawalli. Many women have formed their own “women-only” gatherings to perform naats in these women-only dance and music parties.

Instruments used in Pakistani vary between a number of percussion instruments, wind instruments, and both plucked and bowed string instruments. Here are a few instruments you’ll hear: tabla (a set of two drums), alghoza (a pair of 6-holed flutes, one used as a drone, the other used as the melody), sitar (a guitar like instrument with a 4-ft long neck attached to a gourd), siroze (a kind of stringed instrument), a dhol (two-headed drum), chimta (a pair of percussive fire tongs—yes, that’s right), ghara (a clay pitcher used as a percussion instrument), iktara (a one-stringed plucked instrument), rubab (plucked lute with frets on a hollow body covered in skins), sarinda (kind of similar to a rubab), sarangi (stringed instrument played with horsehair bow), and harmonium (three-octave keyboard instrument).

Folk dancing in Pakistan is often performed to celebrate the dynamics of life changing events: weddings, birth, deaths. When it comes to dances, each ethnic group has their own specialties and variations. Punjab dances include the bhangra (pretty well-known), the luddi (danced at weddings), and the giddha (uses hand-clapping). In Balochistan, you’ll find the jhumar (slower, rhythmic dance) and the chap (male palm-clapping dance done for weddings). Some Sindh dances are dhammal (done at Sufi shrines), ho jamalo (well-known at parties), and jhumro (done by town ladies to honor a good crop). 

When it came to modern music, Spotify had quite a few Pakistani artists. The first one I listened to was Ahmed Rushdi. It definitely reminded me of the musical styles of India in its vocal lines and instrumentation. The song “Ko Ko Koreena” was a really big thing when it first came out. In fact, it’s often considered one of the first “pop songs” in Pakistan. Nazia Hassan was another musician/singer from this early time period. Her music has more of a Western 1970s pop sound to it.

Ali Zafar’s music has a traditional sound on top of what sounds like a quasi-modern drum beat. It has elements of electronic music, which gives it a dance feel to it. I thought it was kind of catchy. Hadiqa Kiani is as close to what I came to as pop. Her music definitely has some traditional styles and instruments used in it, but it’s clearly influenced by Western pop music. She’s got a couple of slower songs, but I’d say that most are pretty upbeat.

One of the more popular musicians is Atif Aslam. His music is clearly in the rock category, although there are songs that span a range of what rock means: from Bryan Adams-esque to Green Day-esque. He had several songs that were pretty catchy. Faraz Anwar is another rock musician, but his music leaned more toward a Yngwie Malmsteen-style merged with quasi-gothic metal rock maybe? I’m not even sure what specific genre you’d consider this. But I definitely feel like I should be wearing a black T-shirt and that this is probably way better live.

I would confidently place Junoon’s music as indie rock. Still utilizing traditional drums and even some vocalizations (with quarter tones and trills), but still strongly steeped in rock form. Noori is another band I really liked. Still in the indie rock category, but their music sticks out to me for being seemingly more Western than other bands. Perhaps not quite as high on the technical aspect of music, but good to listen to nonetheless.

I did find a hip-hop group called Bohemia. They had some good rhythms and flow; I liked what I heard. Another rapper I came across is Adil Omar. He rapped in English. Definitely based on traditional music styles, but updated and mixed. I liked this. Whatever he did is working.

Up next: the food

FIJI: MUSIC AND DANCE

Although Fiji is considered part of Melanesia (the group of islands generally closest to Australia and Papua New Guinea), their music tends to include Polynesian (group of islands farther east) styles as well.

Lali drum

Fijian folk music follows the trends of Polynesia. Folk music today includes modern instruments such as guitars, ukeleles, and mandolin (which I’m trying to teach myself to play), but also still incorporates traditional instruments as well.  Lali drums serve several functions, making it an important part of Fijian society.  It was used to call people together, to announce births, deaths, and war.  Lali drums can come in a few different sizes depending on the purpose and timber needed.  Another percussion instrument that may also be found in Fijian folk music is the derua: bamboo tubes of various sizes that are stamped on ground or mats. (I wonder if this is where The Blue Man Group got some of their ideas.)

Indo-Fijian music has a broader array of styles; Indian music has a long tradition, and the Indians who were brought to Fiji brought these along with them. One of the most popular forms is called Bhajans, devotional pieces accompanied by a harmonium (a smaller reed organ called a pump organ) and dholak (drums). (Every time I see the word “dholak,” I think it says “dalek.” My fellow Whovians understand.) Solo dholak players like Sashi Roy and Shailendra Prakash Sharma have developed different techniques of playing and have went on to be successful musicians.

dholak

Qawaali is also a devotional musical form from the northern areas of India and Pakistan that goes back at least 700 years.  In Fiji, there was a lack of tabla players, and they ended up getting together with dholak players and bhajan singers and brought qawaali up as popular musical form in Fiji. It’s become a new style of qawaali which has purists snubbing it, but that’s not stopping its popularity in Fiji.

Another style that has gained popularity is the ghazal, also having its roots in India and the Arab countries. It’s characterized by rhyming couplets and a refrain, expressing the dichotomy of the pain and beauty of love. Mushtari Begum, an Indian residing in Fiji, was awarded the title of “Queen of Ghazal” by the Indian High Consulate in 1973. Cassius Khan, a student of Begum currently living in Canada, is another among the world’s greatest ghazal musicians.

Meke is a word that encompasses all styles of traditional dance. Traditionally, these dances were only danced by people of the same gender: men-only dances and women-only dances. However, some of the dances from neighboring countries in the South Pacific use both men and women, and these also made their way into Fijian culture.  Music is highly incorporated into the meke. The dance uses wide energetic movements with both the legs and arms, including jumping and clapping. It definitely takes a certain amount of athleticism and balance to be able to do it correctly. If you are a fan of the show Survivor, meke was performed during the season it was filmed in Fiji. 

Some of the popular artists these days are Karuna Gopalan. His music is highly influenced by reggae with some shading of funk and rock.  Sung in English, the topics of the songs are the typical subjects you find in Caribbean and African reggae: social struggles, making your life better, living life, love (both lost and found). I’m a huge fan of reggae, so I really liked his music.

Another musician I found is Michelle Rounds. I listened to the album Michelle Rounds & Her Amazing Friends. The music panned from hip-hop to soft rock to reggae. Most of her music is sung in English, but a few of her friends sing/rap in other languages that I haven’t quite been able to figure out what it is. Some of the songs are hit and miss. I like some, but others are ok. She specializes in jazz and blues. (She's NOT the same Michelle Rounds who married Rosie O'Donnell, as I figured out.) 

Emosi Lomata’s music has elements of reggae and soft rock. The quality of the songs that I was listening to was sometimes too soft to hear. Maybe that’s a Spotify problem. But these songs weren’t doing anything for me. There wasn’t enough to draw me in. I’m kind of indifferent.

I also listened to Seru Serevi’s album Gunu Peni.  Based on the song titles, I believe he may be singing in Fijian. His style seems more like folk rock, reminding me a little of a Fijian John Denver. His song “Vunimaqo” is a remake of Jimmy Buffett’s “Volcano.” I laughed out loud when I figured this out.

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AZERBAIJAN: ART AND LITERATURE

One of the most important art forms in Azerbaijan, and in that entire region, is in carpet weaving. I had mentioned carpet weaving when I wrote on neighboring Armenia. Azerbaijani carpets do have certain style changes that are indicative of the different eras and different regions. Different ornamentations have different meanings in them as well. Some of the wealthier people have had pearls and gems sewn into the carpet. Many of these carpets were woven with silk. These carpets were not only used for practical purposes, such as coverings for furniture or the floor, but there were also used to decorate the walls on the home as well.

In Azerbaijan, there are different schools of carpet weaving. There are seven, actually, that are spread throughout the country. Each location has a slightly different style of weaving and the designs and ornamentations used for it.

Architecture in Azerbaijan is a mixture of East and West, of modern and ancient. There are several buildings that have been maintained since antiquity, such as the Maiden Towers (which reminds me of Rapunzel's tower with an offshoot) and Palace of the Shirvanshahs, and many of these are of Persian origin.  When the Russians took control of the area, you will start to see many buildings and homes, as well as city planning, with Russian architectural style.

Azerbaijanis also have a lot of jewelry art and handicrafts, metal work, wood work, and stone cutting work.

Some of the oldest art is found at the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, a collection of more than 6000 rock art drawings and cave art found.  This area has been counted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The earliest forms of Azerbaijani literature are in the form of poetry, more specifically a ghazal (a type of poetry consisting of rhyming couplets and refrains). The early forms are closer in style to Persian and Turkish styles.  One of the most notable lyrical poets is a woman by the name of Khurshidbanu Natavan.  She was from the city of Shusha in the Karabakh region where her father was the last ruler of that area. Not only was she popular in literary circles, her family also had a big name in raising Karabakh horses.

Another early find is the book of Dede Qorqud is a collection of twelve stories that were copied by Oghuz nomads. It’s a set of two manuscripts that were copied during the 16^th century, but scholars have reason to believe it may have been a little earlier.

During the 16^th century, the art form called Ashik became popular. Ashik is like a traveling, singing bard, not terribly different from the troubadours in France and other areas of Europe around this time. One of the popular stories that are told/sang in the Ashik style is that of the Epic of Köroğlu, a Robin Hood-like character.

Under Soviet rule, writers (as well as other artists) who didn’t adhere to their standards of what is acceptable often found missing, persecuted, or even killed. However, there were some writers who did keep writing: Mahammid Hadi, Abbas Sahhat, Huseyn Javid, Adbullah Shaig, Jafar Jabbarly, Mikayil Mushfig. After Stalin’s death, this strictness over censorship was slowly lifted, and writers could write freely again.

Up next: Music and Dance

Resources:

Carpets: http://www.azerbaijan.az/_Culture/_FolkArts/_folkArts_e.html

Wikipedia: “Architecture of Azerbaijan” “Folk Art of Azerbaijan” “Khurshidbanu Natavan” “Literature of Azerbaijan”

Rock Art: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1076/