Have you ever been moved by a song, but that same song mean
nothing to someone else? Are you a fan
of poetry, or do you cringe at the very mention of it? Songs and poetry are very similar in that
they both harness language to tell stories and imbue meaning from the author to
the listener. Within anthropology the study
of such media can take multiple different forms, from ethnomusicologyv
to ethnopoetics, the latter of which is the subject of this post. This post will explore what ethnopoetics is
and how it is related to anthropological studies of cultures.
The term ethnopoetics was coined by anthropological linguists,
Jerome Rothenberg and Dennis Tedlock, in 1968 (although the former is recognized
more frequently than the latter). The
notion that drove the creation of the discipline of ethnopoetics was the desire
to move away from ideas that European and Western arts be considered the best
or standard for which all other art forms were evaluated, and a complimentary movement
toward more inclusion, awareness, and appreciation of non-Western art forms. Ethnopoetic researchers principally study
non-Western and ancient art forms, including poetry, song, riddles, limericks,
etc., but the study of modern non-Western poetries and similar prose is
included within the field of study.
Ultimately, the goal of ethnopoetics is to recognize the
cultural meanings imbued in the poetic art forms created by non-Western peoples. Ethnopoetic scholars typically either focus
on the written or verbally performed poetries (or song), but many are versed in
both areas of study. Ultimately, the
recognition of how the poem or song is composed, through specific word
selection, the line structures, the comma placements, and how it is performed,
with specific tones, intentional pauses, different voices, the inclusion or exclusion
of props, etc., all come together to provide a specific message that is
important to and/or most understood by the author and affiliated cultural
group.
This ties back to the ideas of linguistic
relativity and how language affects perceptions since word use and tone
affect meaning and therefore understanding.
Through the study of ethnopoetics is an appreciation of an artform as
much as it is also a study of culture. By
understanding the art from the cultural group’s perspective one gains a deeper
understanding of the culture itself, similarly to how one person can find deep
meaning in a song or poem but that message is lost to another.
Bibliography
Poetry Foundation. Glossary of Poetic Terms.
n.d. Electronic. 19 December 2019.
Poets.org. A Brief Guide to Ethnopoetics. 4
May 2004. Electronic. 19 December 2019.
Tedlock, Dennis. ETHNOPOETICS. n.d.
Electronic. 19 December 2019.
Webster, Anthony K. "Cultural Poetics
(Ethnopoetics) ." December 2015. Oxford Handbooks Online.
Electronic. 19 December 2019.
13 comments:
Dr. Boston,
I find this article quite interesting. I may be overthinking it, but as I was reading, I was taken to controversial lyrics in several songs. In particular, the rap group NWA, and their song "F*** The Police." According to your post, "understanding the art from the cultural group’s perspective one gains a deeper understanding of the culture itself, similarly to how one person can find deep meaning in a song or poem but that message is lost to another." I believe I understand why this song was created. NWA was bringing attention to the racial disparities that happened between Black and White men and their interactions with the police. However, their song received much backlash. I guess I am trying to figure out how important is it to ensure that the intent of a song, or poetry piece, is understood by the audience? And when it is not, is it the responsibility of the owner to clear things up? Finally, for those who do not understand the message, would that mean that a piece of NWA's culture is being denied?
Thank you,
Joell Davis
Good questions, Joell. In regards to the NWA song it has to be considered within the contexts of when it was released. The US and world was a different place, so while not totally different than today there were some distinctive differences that made its reception difficult to handle among several groups. Regarding the responsibility of the artist I do not necessarily think that is the case-as in it is not the responsibility of the artist to control how the audience receives the song. That is uncontrollable. The artist can choose to explain their piece or not, and ultimately those choices carry specific consequences, both good and bad, as well as expected and unexpected.
Dr.Boston,
This article has me thinking, more than I usually do; so it really caught my attention. I'm sure all or if not all of us know that poems and songs has a meaning behind them, but I never really thought how deep it was. This wanted me to go back and listen to a poem "Hey Black Child!" that was recited by an three your old black girl. Of course there was meaning before but after reading this article than going back and listening to it once again, gave me even more meaning to the poem. I agree on how songs and poems can tell a story of ones culture.
Thanks you,
Lavonza Marshall
Dr. Boston, this post really made me think, and opened my eyes to a lot of different ideas. Your very first question, have you ever been moved by a dong, but that same song mean nothing to someone else really made me think. When I think about songs that have meaning to me, I think about and remember the occasion where that song was played. For example, the song Old Rugged Cross was played at my grandpa and grandma's funeral so that song has really deep meaning for me for various reasons, but when other people listen to that song it does not do the same thing for them. Do you think most people feel connected to a song because of and emotional trigger?Ethnopoetics is a word that I had never heard of before, but when I am reading poems I also try to find the meaning of what is being said. When I am doing that I think it gives me a better understanding of what is going on, and I can put myself in the shoes of the author. Before reading this post, I did not realize just how much went into being able to decide what all each little detail meant within the song. I definitely think that songs and poems are taken for granted anymore in our society, and we don't take them and understand all the hard work that went into producing that piece of art.
- Jessica Salmons
This article really made me think. Usually I would skim through but Reading this from start to finish really opened my eyes. For instance, the Song "Amen" by Meek Mill was a good song to me but he received a lot of bad publicity for cursing in a "church" song. So this article made me look at the specific art of music.
I love music so this article was very interesting to read. I related so much. When I find a song to be one of my favorites it literally has to describe how I felt at that moment of time. People have so many different tastes in music and I realized that when I met my boyfriend. We like majority of the same music but there is a good amount of songs that he listens to that I normally wouldn't. Not saying it's bad but it is actually enhancing. By opening my mind to it and having him feel good showing that different part of him. I like that this blog took me back to that moment like music would do.
Ashley Puckett
I definitely felt the first paragraph because I have certain music I don't share with anyone honestly, because I'm a big fan of poetry. Some people hear it and won't hear the meaning of it.
Justin Mitchell
I loved this blog topic. I personally am a huge fan of poetry and listen to music from many genres that being said I completely understand how the lyrics or metaphors in music can sometimes be lost to some yet clear to others. In rap/ hip hop I prefer lyrical and storytelling because although the music play's part it's the wordplay that draws me in.
When I found out this was one of your blog I was so excited. I listen to music to get away from people, and it sounds weird but it feels like I talk to music more than I talk to my peers. I've been saying for years that music always says something depending of course what music you decide to entertain you. Before this blog I would love to bring up one of my favorite deeper meaning songs entitled for colored girls. If you haven’t heard it I suggest that you do it’s one of my favorites and it’s an era where at the time people thought that this song would be just for a time. They thought that this song would die out and wouldn’t have a meaning in so many years. Unfortunately it still does and it’s kind of upsetting that it does but it’s kind of relieving that this isn’t a new problem. It’s kind of like a silver lining that these problems are just now happening and the only one who felt this way about anything. Continuing As you briefly talked about in the first paragraph everybody won’t get wet everyone listens to, everyone wants to understand the struggles when my fill in a song based off of what they grew up with. And I believe you said that obviously in your way but it was very well spoken.
Damia
I personally love music and some poetry one of my favorite singers, H.E.R., uses poetry in her music and it brings me some peace of mind. I feel it gives her music a sense of meaning that I don't think anyone else would understand if she was just a poetry writer. Even to some of my friends they really don't get what she is saying in her music and get often confused to why I listen to her.
-Jada Johnson
This is a very unique form of linguistic working with poetry and song. Trying move away from the western influences makes it even more beautiful.
Elaine christopher
Enthnomusicology and enthnopoetics find a meaning behind a performance and understadning one another and ties the beauty of art from ancient Western and non-wetsern culture appreciation, it would be amazing to see how they use this to express themselves.
Qwynn Marquez
The post outlines the range of ethnopoetic studies and highlighting its emphasis on oral and written poetry. Through the analysis of diverse components including arrangement, lexicon selection, and delivery, scholars acquire an enhanced comprehension of cultural relevance and creative articulation. It shows how ethnopoetics is an interdisciplinary field by establishing links between anthropology, linguistics, and cultural studies. By taking linguistic relativity and the ways that language affects perception into account, this multidisciplinary approach enhances the study of art forms.
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