Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Songs, Cultural Representation and Hybridity in Ladakh (original) (raw)
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LADAKHI TRADITIONAL SONGS: A CULTURAL, MUSICAL, AND LITERARY STUDY
This dissertation examines the place of traditional songs in the Tibetan Buddhist culture of the former Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. I look at how Buddhism and pre-Buddhist religion informed the texts and performance contexts of traditional songs, and how Ladakhi songs represent cultural self-images through associated musical, textual, and visual tropes. Many songs of the past, both from the old royal house and the rural Buddhist populations, reflect the socio-political structure of Ladakhi society. Some songs reflect a pan-Tibetan identity, connecting the former Namgyal dynasty to both the legendary King Gesar and Nyatri Tsangpo, the historical founder of the Tibetan Yarlung dynasty. Nevertheless, a distinct Ladakhi identity is consistently asserted. A number of songs contain texts that evoke a mandala or symbolic representation of the world according to Vajrayana Buddhist iconography, ritual and meditative visualization practices. These mandala descriptions depict the social order of the kingdom, descending from the heavens, to the Buddhist clergy, to the king and nobles, to the common folk. As the region has become more integrated into modern India, Ladakhi music has moved into modern media space, being variously portrayed through scholarly works, concerts, mass media, and the internet. An examination of contemporary representations of “tradition” and ethnic identity in traditional music shows how Ladakhis from various walks of life view the music and song texts, both as producers and consumers. Situated as it was on the caravan routes between India, Tibet, China, and Central Asia, Ladakhi culture developed distinctive hybrid characteristics, including in its musical styles. Analysis of the performance practices, musical structures, form, and textual content of songs clearly indicates a fusion of characteristics of Middle Eastern, Balti, Central Asian, and Tibetan origin. Looking at songs associated with the Namgyal dynasty court, I have found them to be part of a continuum of Tibetan high literary culture, combined with complex instrumental music practices. As such, I make the argument that these genres should be considered to be art music.
Himalayan Hybridity and the Evolution of Ladakhi Popular Music
Himalaya: The Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, 2018
Author Biography Noé Dinnerstein is Adjunct Assistant Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. As an ethnomusicologist, his areas of interest are in music of Ladakh, North India, and Latin America. His research in Ladakh focuses primarily on tradition and popular songs, and their evolution through process of crossroads hybridity, past and present. In addition to his scholarly pursuits, he is an active performer and teacher of Hindustani sitar and khayal singing, as well as a composer. He is currently finishing up a book, Traditional Songs in Buddhist Ladakh, which will include translations, transcriptions, and recordings.
Proceedings of the 11th Seminar of the International …, 2006
This article looks at Tibetan identities as represented, constructed and embodied by and in music, dance and performance style in modern and traditional genres. Through an examination of a selection of Tibetan styles and genres, it explores the play of history, the past, tradition, ideologies, identities, popular style. The second vignette represents Amdo, and is a song accompanied 2 http://www.tibetanarts.org/thearts.html accessed August 06 3 This VCD is a selection of the songs and dances from the annual competition between TIPA's two 'houses' (ru khag).
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