World music
Focus Questions
1. What words do you associate with `world music’?
2. Give examples of music or instruments unique to particular cultures.
3. Why is culture an important part of world music?
4. What sort of materials were the instruments in the World music story made from?
5. Describe the leather belt used by the group `Rango’.
6. How did the group get its name?
7. About how old is the xylophone-like instrument played by Rango?
8. Why does Hassan want to teach others how to play the instruments?
9. What do you think the kids involved in `Rango’ workshop learnt?
10. Illustrate an aspect of this story.
World music
Different cultures make musical instruments from things found in their local environment like dried gourds (hollow vegetables), hollowed tree trunks or dried cactus branches. Many instruments, including percussion, can be made from inexpensive, found or recycled objects.
Students will make their own percussion instruments using recycled materials. They can invent their own instrument, research on the internet to get ideas or try one of the following :
Rain stick
Rain sticks originated from Chile, South America and were traditionally made from a dried cactus branch. They can be made from recycled cardboard tubes, nails, dried beans or rice and some materials to decorate the tube. Step by step instructions can be found at this website http://www.exploratorium.edu/frogs/rain_stick/index.html
Coffee can drum
A simple drum can be made from a coffee can and a balloon. Cut the mouthpiece off the balloon and stretch it over the opening of the can. Secure the balloon using packing or gaffer tape.
Guiro (scraper)
A guiro is a Latin American percussion instrument made from a hollowed out gourd with notches carved out of it. It’s played by scraping the notches with a stick to make long and short sounds. A similar sound can be created using a ridged water bottle or can (make sure sharp edges are covered) and a chopstick.
Rango shaker
The Rango shaker featured in the BtN story, and was originally made from gourds but is now made from recycled aerosol cans. The students participating in the Rango workshop made the shakers using Pringles canisters, rice, foil and coloured paper, stickers and other materials to decorate.
Working in small groups, students create a soundscape (music that tells a story) using the percussion instruments they made. Encourage them to perform their soundscape to the class.
Further investigation
Find out more about the Womad festival. What type of festival is it, when did it start, where does it take place and who performs at the festival?
8 Related Research Links
ABC The World Today – Sudanese slave music revived
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2011/s3161713.htm
Womad Festival – About Womad
http://womad.org/about/
National Geographic – World music
http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/
New York Philharmonic – Instrument lab
http://www.nyphilkids.org/lab/main.phtml
© ABC 2011