The first impression of the documentary was appreciation of music by people of Brazil. I appreciated the culture that the community has for traditional music and the meaning behind their expressions. The Indian culture in Brazil is depicted with strength and pride, which also tells the story of their history. The altercations with “The Whites” historically also give the community the sense to be stronger and bond closer to express their proud cultures; music is am important tool that helps the culture to survive and it becomes one of the main ways to express their ideologies out loud. As I was watching this documentary, I was very interested in different musical instruments that they had. I, myself, played the violin and the clarinet for a long time, and different percussion instruments are seen in this documentary; the shakers are constructed differently than those of used in the world of classical music in North America or Europe, and their use of tambourines are the signs that they love to make sure that the music has ‘beats’, and based on the beats sound produced by these unique sounds. Sounds and collaboration of the vibrant energy of the Brazil culture is a jam and butter combination to uplift both the people who perform and the people around them; the music is one of the ways that can touch people’s heart in an instant; the fast-paced beats get people to become energetic, show positivity and vibrant love, and the slow paced with meaningful lyrics have the emotionally attachment to give the people an indirect effect of spreading messages. The understanding of the power that music has in a culture especially in Brazil is crucial to continue their tradition and their ‘stories’ to upcoming generations. Interestingly, the way people treat music in Brazil has both the festive and socially meaningful factors that describe how people believe in music; music is as part of their daily lives which enlightens people from age that ranges from a small child to elderly individuals. Communities that are especially under influence by another culture, in this case the whites, historically have much connection with the music; music provides comfort, joy, entertainment, healing and bonding that can be a beneficial factor to share love and positivity in those who suffered from domination by another culture. I think that depending on where people live and see, it shapes how they view certain things; as examples, because of their scarcity to make technology as common as those in the North America, their dependence on the music shapes their daily lifestyles. Brazil is a country of vibrancy and importantly ‘history,’ and music is a critical part that shapes how the culture is presented to the world.
Class Discussion:
- Is music part of an integral factor that makes up a culture? How is music portrayed in another culture? (I find the similar atmosphere with the African American culture and their connection with music)
Great analysis of the impact of music on culture! I would like to think music is an integral part of culture because it has the power to connect people to their identity and to each other. One genre of music is not like the other so they are unique in that way as well. Context is important, so I can’t generalize how music is portrayed from one culture to another since it’s really something that depends on the individual.