Indigenous Australian Songdram The Great Father Spirits

A MATTER OF STYLE - TOPIC 1
ORIGINS
Origins of Drama and Theatre – Indigenous Australian Songdrama
THEATRE STYLE
Indigenous Australian Songdrama – The Great Father Spirits
LESSONS & EXERCISES
1. Imagine a relative, friend or event that although long past, has shaped the way you are and what you have become. Facing a partner, attempt to tell the story of this relative, friend or event. Tell your partner the story using metaphoric rather than literal language. Remember to tell the story in almost song-like tones: dwelling on the sounds and words you speak. Allow most words to find the rhythm and tone that makes them song-like. Also remember to let your voice and thoughts do the work (so try to cut hand and facial gestures to a bare minimum).
2. The group starts a tapping rhythm or chant. In turn each member of the group sings a short story about where they come from. You can centre it on a person, a description or an event. Try to inject some energy and drama to the songdrama. Remember that you can be metaphoric, reality is not as important as giving the 'sense' or 'feel' of the place. The group keeps the rhythm or chant going until each person has shared their story of their 'place'.
3. Get some members of the group to sing a children's song, popular song or ballad in their native language or dialect or in a different language or a language you don't know. The rest of the members try to learn the song or part of the song.
FURTHER READINGS
A MATTER OF STYLE - TOPIC 2
AFRICAN DRAMA
Origins of African Drama and Storytelling
LESSONS & EXERCISES
Opening
Ampe (Ghana)
Nigeria
Tanzania
Telling a story
One person begins a tale and stops after a few sentences. The next person picks up the story thread and continues it, then stops. Next person adds to it and so on until the tale comes to a resolution.
The Conclusion or the Moral or Message
FURTHER READINGS
A MATTER OF STYLE - TOPIC 1
ORIGINS
Origins of Drama and Theatre – Indigenous Australian Songdrama
The purpose of this e-text is to explore and give some practical insight into different theatre and drama styles, periods, forms and practitioners. It will give insight into style, form, performances, staging conventions, acting and performance styles, plays and performance texts, staging conventions, costuming, directors and playwrights.
This e-text is written for a broad range of readers. Firstly, for those at university, Drama college or school, and high school students studying drama and theatre and then for IB Theatre, A Level, HSC and VCE Senior Drama and Theatre Studies school students. It provides information, material for research and practical exercises for the study of drama and theatre as part of a World Theatre context.
Some of the work in this e-text derives from a set of articles I wrote on theatre styles for Drama Victoria’s ‘Mask’ magazine during the 1990’s, a book I edited entitled ‘Drama from the Rim’ and books I have written such as ‘Australian Indigenous Drama’ and ‘The Dramaturgy of the Australian Theatre Director’.
There are many different theories as to the origins of drama and theatre. I subscribe to the theory that drama and theatre had its origins storytelling, myth, ritual, dance and ceremony. Early societies passed down knowledge and history through ceremonies. They also saw a connection between the performance of certain actions by a group and the development of certain responses. A lot of interesting work and observation has been done in this area by Anthropologist and mythologist Joseph Campbell. He saw that beyond the social and cultural functions of these rituals in different cultures, these rituals seemed to have fulfilled three basic concerns – those of pleasure, power and duty.
We know that these rituals probably started very early in human societies. Some date the earliest theatre to the Ancient Egyptian rituals and dramas which accompanied sending pharaoh’s to the underworld and the ‘Pyramid Texts’ dated about 2800 to 2400 BC. I will come to these rituals later. I would like to contend that the origins of drama can be traced back to earlier traditions in the peoples of Africa and Australia. Since it is an area I am more familiar with, I would like to start with early Australian Indigenous Drama which can be seen to date back to about 50,000 years ago.
THEATRE STYLE
Indigenous Australian Songdrama – The Great Father Spirits
Around 40,000 - 80,000 years ago, peoples from the Asian region crossed by land bridge to what we now know of as Arhnem Land. The stories of the Great Father Spirit and the journeys of these peoples and their encounters have been passed down in a form that can be best described as songdrama.
Indigenous Australian Songdramas deal with the first stage of creation - the activities of the Great Father Spirit. Often the oldest indigenous stories are kept in a half-spoken, half-sung songline form such as those used in the Whale Arrival Story of the Thurrawal tribe of New South Wales or The Three Brothers Story of the Gullibul clans and of course the stories of the famous gwion gwion or jenagi jenagi cave painting dancers (known to some as the stories of the Bradshaw Cave Dancers.
These songdramas conjure up and re-enact events of the past capturing the moods, feelings and oneness of spirit. Some examples of songdramas include stories of the Father Spirits of Baiame (from the Sitma-thang clans of the High Plains), Mungan Mgour (from the Kuranda of Queensland) and Bunjil (from the Kulin and Wotjobaluk). In her magnificent book Singing the Land – The Power of Performance in Aboriginal Life, Jill Stubington illuminates the connection of songlines and song drama to the relationship of indigenous Australian people to their history, spirituality and social structures and traditions as evident in song cycles and ceremonies.
The songdrama form is one that attempts to set the thoughts and actions of significant long ago events, people and animals into the ever present. In some ways, the indigenous songdrama is like the Hindu songdramas and dance dramas in that they attempt to conjure up the form of the ancient spirits almost like deities (Reed 1993: 17-19). Often phrases and images are repeated, and emphasis is placed upon the conjuring up of images through the almost exclusive use of the voice: its tones, intonation, rhythm and volume. These rituals are often led by songman (the singer, keeper and composer of songs) a skilled performer with an extensive repertoire of stories and vocal range and skill. A number of songdramas and the musical accompaniments are referred to in Neuenfeldt’s wonderful book The Didgeridu: From Arnhem land to the Internet.
The songdramas of the legends of Baiame often give the subject Baiame, qualities such as Creator, Benefactor and First Seed (Reed l993: l7, 32, 53).
The songdrama usually attempts to deal witheverything in terms of metaphors e.g. instead of telling someone that your great grandfather came from Norway to Australia, you may say: ''My Grandfather is the devourer of all the seas and oceans'' or '' My Grandfather - the Whale of all seasons. The songdramas are always told proudly and intensely, perhaps this is why some European historians and anthropologists have remained sceptical about the knowledge which lies beneath these stories told in this form of narrative. Songdramas are not just an ancient form used for ancient rituals but can be used in a modern context and within historical approaches to address specific stories and ideas from specific areas or places. Often older indigenous languages are kept alive through songdramas because they keep flourishing the stories, rituals and languages of traditions which are
ancient. TIMELINE
64,000BC Indigenous peoples arrive in Australia, some evidence of early storytelling rituals seems to point to storytelling even from this period.
54,000BC Evidence from a rock shelter in Arnhem Land (400 km east of Darwin) suggest body decoration used in dance and storytelling. (Mungo National Park, NSW) show evidence of spiritual and creative aspects to storytelling traditions and dance.
20,000BC Sites at Wentworth Falls (NSW) and Koonalda (S.A.) suggest art, body decorating and storytelling are linked in more formal rituals.
18,000BC Art at Ubirr in Kakadu National Park (Northern Territory, 300 km. east of Darwin) depicts now extinct animals, the Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), and Zaglossus (the long-beaked echidna).
11,000BC Landbridge between mainland Australia and Tasmania are flooded. Some songlines and dreamtime stories of both Victorian indigenous peoples and Tasmanian indigenous peoples tell the story of this event. It is believed that some of these stories may have been passed down continuously from this time.
6,000BC Earliest visual evidence of Indigenous belief in and representation of the Rainbow Serpent which becomes a continuous creation story and belief system in many Australian Indigenous cultures.
3,000BC Cave paintings dated around this period suggest the adoption of tribal and clan totems and the actual use of totems in rituals.
1,000BC Evidence in a number of cave paintings suggests the use of didgeridoos and body painting used for rituals.
LESSONS & EXERCISES 1. Imagine a relative, friend or event that although long past, has shaped the way you are and what you have become. Facing a partner, attempt to tell the story of this relative, friend or event. Tell your partner the story using metaphoric rather than literal language. Remember to tell the story in almost song-like tones: dwelling on the sounds and words you speak. Allow most words to find the rhythm and tone that makes them song-like. Also remember to let your voice and thoughts do the work (so try to cut hand and facial gestures to a bare minimum).
2. The group starts a tapping rhythm or chant. In turn each member of the group sings a short story about where they come from. You can centre it on a person, a description or an event. Try to inject some energy and drama to the songdrama. Remember that you can be metaphoric, reality is not as important as giving the 'sense' or 'feel' of the place. The group keeps the rhythm or chant going until each person has shared their story of their 'place'.
3. Get some members of the group to sing a children's song, popular song or ballad in their native language or dialect or in a different language or a language you don't know. The rest of the members try to learn the song or part of the song.
FURTHER READINGS
Berndt, R.M. & Phillips, E.S. 1973. The Australian Aboriginal Heritage: An Introduction Through the Arts. Ure Smith. Sydney.
Bungalung (short film). Morton-Thomas, Trisha (indigenous director). CAAMA. 2007.
Marshall, A. 2004. 'Singing your own songlines: approaches to Indigenous Drama' in
Mooney, M. (ed.) & Nicholls (ed.) Drama Journeys:Inside Drama Learning. Currency Press. Strawberry Hills, Sydney.
Mathews, R.H. 1905. Ethnological Notes on Aboriginal Tribes of N.S.W. and Victoria. White Publishing. Sydney.
Mullins, B. 1989. Aboriginal lore: a pictorial review of ancient aboriginal life, ritual and culture, as recorded in the marks they left on the land. Shepp Books. Hornby, N.S.W.
Neuenfeldt, K. 1997. The Didgeridu: From Arnhem land to the Internet. John Libbey & Co. Sydney.
Strehlow, T.G.H. 1986. Aranda Traditions, Melbourne University Press. Melbourne.
Woolgoodja, S. 1976. Lalai Dreamtime. Aboriginal Arts Board. Canberra.
A MATTER OF STYLE - TOPIC 2
AFRICAN DRAMA
Origins of African Drama and Storytelling
As a place, Africa has had the longest record of human activity of any part of the world.
Many archeologists and anthropologists believe rituals of performance, storytelling involving music and masks probably date back to about 40,000 years ago in parts of Africa. There is also archeological evidence that around 10,000 years ago, African societies near modern day Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and in places in what is now the Sahara Desert, started to develop microlith technology for hunting and harvesting and as a consequence started to develop more intricate storytelling rituals involving drumming, body decoration and perhaps even masks. Rock art of this period show many representations of performance rituals and a 7,000 year old stone Africa mask has been
found.
African cultures are diverse and rich and their drama traditions are founded in oral cultures and traditions, use of drums and percussion instruments, use of dance and movement and use of costume and mask. Performance rituals in ancient times probably took place at night a meal. The African oral traditions normally involve a folktale being recited, sung, and or danced and sung.
Some African performers see that the most ancient of African storytelling performances involve three parts:
• The opening formula or group clapping or introduction or call
• The story expository
• The conclusive formula
A drama session which explores and uses early African storytelling techniques normally begins with an opening formula which can involve an exchange of jokes and riddles or a group clapping or call. Then a storyteller begins the narration of the tale. This can be introduced by a signal such as drumming or hand clapping. The storyteller sets the scene, introduces the characters, and defines the conflict using all sorts of techniques. In some parts of Cameroon and Ghana, the storytellers or performers perform a real dramatic play where storytellers sing, dance and through their gestures and body movements create the imagery and symbolism of the story. Many early African forms of drama involve only a single performer who imitates many characters in the story or may use different costume items or masks for different characters. The final part of the story or the conclusive formula, sees the closure of the story with a final didactic or moral statement about an issue or message explored.
Using any of the Ananse folktales of Ghana is a good starting place for exploring early African drama styles. The performance of the Ananse stories are accompanied with music, singing, drumming, percussion instruments, clapping, and dancing.
LESSONS & EXERCISES
Opening
Ampe (Ghana)
This is a game best played with a group of four or more. It’s an active game, with so much clapping, singing, and jumping involved that it almost looks like a dance. It’s a game that’s been past down from generation to generation. A leader is chosen and the rest of the group either stand in a semicircle or split into groups of two. The leader begins by jumping, and when you land from your jump, you place one leg forward. Points are earned depending on which leg (left or right) meets the opposite leg of your opponent first. Everyone gets a chance to be the leader
Nigeria
Another clapping game can involve clapping in a group. One person sets up a clapping rhythm and repeats it. The group then takes up this rhythm. Each new rhythm starts off at a medium volume and energy and then it gets softer. Then another person starts a new rhythm and the whole group repeats it until they all get sifter and someone else introduces a new rhythm.
Tanzania
Another introductory game can involving students playing with adjectives. The group forms a circle. Then one person starts with an animal that begins with A and prefixes this animal with an appropriate adjective. The next person goes on to do the same with B etc. (Adventurous Aardvark, Bellowing Bear…).
Telling a story
1. One easy way to start to tell a story is to start with a dance sequence or story. Try the following sequence in a group:
2. Introduction: The whole group shows a slow sunrise – three-four children rising in an arc with hands held. The remaining children are the sleeping desert
3. Heatwave: The whole room becomes a baking heatwave, undulating and shimmering. All students do these actions
4. Toiling in the heat: Children digging to the rhythm, weaving with their hands, carrying water containers or pots on their heads.
5. Giving thanks: Children give thanks for food and shelter – all in a circle mirroring the movement of one leader.
One person begins a tale and stops after a few sentences. The next person picks up the story thread and continues it, then stops. Next person adds to it and so on until the tale comes to a resolution.
Students can also come into the centre of the circle and tell a short story on their own. They could also choose to read an African folktales (see bibliography). These stories can be accompanied by clapping or drumming by the performer or by the audience. The audience or another performer can then recap or retell the whole story entirely in dance form. This should be shorter than the original. Alternatively, a dance can be done to recap the events of the story at the end of each section of the story. Students can share an African Creation story. They can list the characters and each act out the characters or animals involved in the story. Each student can act out a different animal and they can use movements, masks or visual cues to show this animal. Students think of a plant or animal from their district. Students think about what the origin of this plant or animal may be. Students create a story or performance to tell the story of how this animal or plant came to be the way it is. The story can be built around a chant and rhythm. The rhythm could be made with hand clapping or with the feet stomping. Students can create their own creation story based on landscape. Here are some instructions which may help students to do this: Look at the hills, mountains, rocks or any geographic features that are outside. Look at the shape of one geographic feature and think of an animal which that feature could represent. Look at other geographical features and decide what other animals each feature could represent. Look at the arrangement and relationship of the different geographical features and attempt to make up a story that tells how these animals came to be frozen in these particular poses in this particular place. Begin to develop your landscape story into a form (spoken with gesture or spoken with dance) you have chosen. Make your story as imaginative as you can. Don’t be too realistic.
The Conclusion or the Moral or Message
1. The storyteller can come up with what the message or moral of the story was and tell this to the group at the end.
2. Alternatively, the group or a member of the audience can get up and announce what the moral or message of the story was.
FURTHER READINGS
Asihene, E. 1997. Traditional Folk-Tales of Ghanaa. Edwin Mellen Press. New York.
Beier, U. (ed.) 1966. The origin of Life and Death: African Creation Myths. Heinemann, London. http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m14/stories.php
Brockett, O. 1995. The History of Theatre (7th Ed.) Allyn & Bacon. Boston (pp 635-639).
Dada, O. 1970. West African Folktales. Dorrance and Company. Philadelphia.
Bower, J. 2007. Dance and Drama – The Spirit of Africa. Aston Scholastic. New York. http://education.scholastic.co.uk/content/1461
Harwood, R. 1984. All the World’s a Stage. Secker & Warburg. London (pp13-36)
Lott, Joanna. “Keepers of History.” Research Penn State. http://news.psu.edu/story/140694/2002/05/01/research/keepers-history
Owomoyela, O.1997. Yoruba Trickster Tales. University of Nebraska Press. Lincoln & London.
Tembo, M. 1996. Legends of Africa. Michael Friedman Publishing Group. New York.
World of Tales. 2004. Varna, Bulgaria. http://www.worldoftales.com/African_folktales.html
Ero. C. Kokodiko - African Storytelling. 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQmXvVuMx68&list=PLF9B99ACE33B03179&index=42