Indigenous Music
In the first year of my master’s study, my focus was on discovering my own folklore. This was the starting point of my journey. I have been singing, inspired by various music traditions from around the world. Many of these traditions utilize the voice in an instrumental-shamanistic manner, characterized by deep, rough, voluminous, and repetitive sounds. Experiencing this music has always given me a sense of something essential that needs to be expressed in that very moment, with music serving as the channel for this expression. However, I could never fully grasp what was happening when encountering this style of singing and music. The only way I could describe it was by saying, “it feels like something bigger than us.”
Over the past two years, through various experiences, I have discovered that there is indeed something greater occurring in traditional (mostly indigenous) music forms worldwide. Creating music with a higher purpose seems to add immense value to both the music and the experience it provides. In this reflection, I share some of these profound experiences that have shifted my perspective on being a performing musician. I will share about the ritual I participated in with the indigenous people of Mexico and the impact of encountering the stories and music of the indigenous people from the Brazilian Amazon. It has truly opened a door to what I have been searching for since the beginning of my master’s studies. This journey has provided part of the answer to finding the folklore I have been seeking.
Traditional indigenous Mexican healing ceremony
During the weekend of the autumn equinox, I traveled south to attend a healing retreat at a farm in the forests near Arendal. An eighty-nine-year-old medicine man named Don Rafael came from the Wirikuta land in Mexico to share the wisdom of his tradition and healing rituals with us. A group of around fifty people gathered in the ceremony room, preparing ourselves for the night-long ritual. As the fire was lit in the hearth, we each lit a candle in front of us to represent our life flame. An altar was created in front of Don Rafael, adorned with stones, sacred objects, seeds, fruits, and chocolate that we could offer to the fire. Thus, we were ready to embark on a healing journey together.
The Ritual
The ceremony consisted of several important elements: songs and blessings from Don Rafael, singing specific ritual songs, praying, making offerings to the fire, and creating music together. The ceremony followed a routine of several parts. We began with a prayer and song from Don Rafael, which were performed at specific times during the night as the sun made its journey back to rising. After that, two pillows were placed before the altar in front of the fire, where traditional ritual songs were sung. This was a time for our own prayers and offerings to the fire. The ceremony was designed to pray for everything we wished for in life—whether it was something we wanted to welcome more of or something we wanted to let go of.
Following these songs, there was an open space for self-reflection, free improvisation of music, prayer, and offering until the next prayer and song from Don Rafael. This cycle repeated throughout the night, from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM.
The most crucial part of the ceremony involved praying and offering cacao, tobacco, or seeds to the fire. Meditating and listening to Don Rafael's prayers and the ritual songs could bring us into a deep meditative state where answers to our inner questions might arise. Taking this time for reflection and prayer at night could illuminate parts of ourselves that we typically avoid or cannot face in daily life. We surrendered to the willingness to confront what frightened us most, allowing us to give painful experiences a place in our system and ultimately set ourselves free. To avoid getting stuck in destructive thoughts, we were encouraged to pray and make offerings. In doing so, we transformed our thoughts and beliefs from fear to trust, fostering a positive mindset.
Music in the Ritual
An essential element of the ceremony is the ritual of music, which involves singing together and being guided through song. Within the scope of my master’s research, this ceremony has been pivotal in helping me understand the immense power of traditional music in a ritual setting. Music truly serves as a guide. The ritual songs revealed a power that I can now relate to my quest to understand the role of music in meaning-making. These songs are accompanied by a rattle and a water drum, designed to be sung together as a form of prayer. Typically, the song is performed as a duo, with one person playing the water drum and the other singing and shaking the rattle. The accompaniment is played at a fast tempo. The song texts vary, consisting of vocables (nonlexical syllables), words in a particular Native American language, or English or Spanish, depending on the preference and intention of each song’s creator. Repetition is a common feature in these songs, with vocables like “hey ne no wa.”
During the ceremony, the person who came to the front of the altar to sing a ritual song for prayer would, in addition to shaking the rattle, hold a wooden cross made of two loose thin branches in front of them. This particular ritual symbol intrigued me. By creating the cross and holding it in front of the fire, the singing gained an extra dimension and power. To me, this demonstrated the necessity of singing and praying to a higher purpose. It was not just about singing a song; it was about singing a song to something greater than ourselves—something good, the Holy Spirit, all that lives and exists, unified in the name of the Holy Spirit. The indigenous people who shared their knowledge and ritual always begin by thanking the Great Spirit.
We primarily recognize the symbol of the cross from Christianity. It is the principal symbol of the Christian religion, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of his Passion and death. Christian devotion to the cross centers on the victory of Christ over the powers of evil and death.
The symbol of the cross gained much deeper meaning and interpretation later in my research through the podcast series by Jaap Voigt, which I discuss in my reflection on meaning-making. Now, with a better understanding of the symbol, when I look back at the ritual we performed, everything truly makes sense to me. The power of symbols and the deeper meanings they carry within them show us a way to navigate through our lives.
Singing and praying
Connecting to something greater than ourselves has been a driving force in my music-making journey. I believe this is the core element of traditional music: singing and playing to connect with life, to harmonize with our surroundings, and to unify with what is within us. During the ceremony, in the space designated for self-reflection, prayer, and free improvisation, I felt inspired by the ritual songs and compelled to sing—to pray with my voice. As I opened my mouth to make sound and let my voice express what lived inside me, the music flowed naturally. Without conscious thought, sounds and melodies emerged, and I felt like a vessel of the Holy Spirit.
While improvising, the room transformed into a space where everything became one. It felt like opening a portal to connect with something greater. It wasn't just me; after a few minutes, other voices joined in, and together we created a bath of sound. I saw a purple color dancing above the circle we were sitting in, all connected as one, united with all that lives. It was a profound meditative experience, a transformation into trust, hope, and faith. Singing together felt like true medicine for fear, hate, and pain.
I believe that improvising together in complete surrender and vulnerability with our voices fosters a deep connection with each other. This connection provides safety and a sense of belonging. During this ritual, it became very clear to me how powerful singing together can be.
Indigenous music from the Amazon
During my last semester of the master study, I have been making music with two different tribes from the Brazilian Amazon. They live their lives in the Amazonian rainforest, still connected to their ancient wisdom and traditions. They share the spirit of nature and guide us towards deeper connection with the earth and harmony within all our relations. The songs I've been singing with them are deeply rooted in themes of nature, healing, life, celebration, and goodness, sharing the message of life's glory. These songs, like those from the traditional Mexican ritual, are sung as prayers. While singing these songs with the people of the tribe, I had a realization: singing about the beauty of life that exists in everything is what truly matters. The goal is to celebrate life. Through singing and dancing, we immerse ourselves in this celebration, finding joy and connection in every moment. This is the invaluable lesson the indigenous people of the Amazon impart to us: to heal and celebrate life.
This journey gave me a profound sense of being in service to the music. What does it mean to be in service to the music? My understanding now is to let go of any personality that seeks to gain something from creating music. Being in service means truly listening to the moment and being honest with each note that wants to be expressed, playing neither more nor less than what is needed. Many times in my experience as a musician, I have overplayed improvisations, driven by a desire to be heard, to be seen, and to convey something through my singing. Now I realize that I am merely a vessel; it is not solely me who creates the beautiful magic that is music. I am a servant of the work, a mouthpiece for the unspeakable, and I accept the trophy on behalf of the unspeakable, rather than for my personality. This was a humbling experience. It made me more sensitive to music, to the space I am in, and to the interplay with fellow musicians.
Inspired by the music from the Amazon, I began exploring the creation of songs that resonate with their spirit. This music primarily uses basic chords and simple melodies. Previously, I had never used triads in my songwriting, favoring open chords instead. However, I discovered that blending basic triads with open chords brings a new atmosphere to my music. It feels as if the music gains more soul because I now embrace the minor and major chords I once avoided.
I had always wondered how singer-songwriters could craft such beautiful songs using only triads. It was challenging for me, perhaps because I was afraid of truly expressing myself through triads, as they provide a clear direction and convey a distinct emotional message.
By looking deeply into life, we also confront death in a metaphorical sense—a cycle of letting go of what no longer serves us and embracing what brings life. This experience of singing with the tribes reaffirmed my growing belief in releasing limiting beliefs and choosing life as the only way forward.
Sami
The traditional indigenous music from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, from Sapmi, has been an integral part of my musical journey for a long time. Initially, it was the music of Mari Boine, which my parents listened to, that introduced me to Sami music and joik. Later, artists like Maria Mortensson, Ulla Pirttijärvi, Kajsa Balto, Sara Marielle Gaup, and Jakop Jansson guided me further into understanding Sami music and joik. Their music, with its honest joiking, has profoundly touched me, resonating deeply with my heart.
After my experiences with the indigenous music and people from Mexico and the Amazon, I feel I have gained a deeper understanding of the traditional indigenous music of the Sami people and their preserved traditions. My encounters with the indigenous people from Mexico and Brazil have humbled me, teaching me the respect and attitude I should hold towards the Sami people. They, too, are custodians of ancient wisdom. The suppression and pressure they have faced to abandon their traditions are both horrible and disrespectful. We often fail to recognize the immense wisdom embedded in their traditions, and we should humbly seek to learn from them once again. I believe joiking is a form of prayer, singing deeply into the spirit of something or someone. This is why joik has resonated with me so profoundly in the past—it showed me how to be a vessel, to pray, and to delve deeply into the essence of music and being.
After my performances, many people have remarked that they hear Sami music in my singing. Some compare it to traditional Balkan voices, while others liken it to Mongolian throat singing. My singing has been primarily shaped by the Sami voices, but after my experiences with the indigenous people from Mexico and Brazil, and a workshop in Slavic singing, I recognize a similar sound to joik in the indigenous singing traditions of these other cultures.
It feels like the voice of the earth, the voice of healing, the voice of prayer, the voice of devotion, the voice of honesty—a voice that guides me to deeper meaning and belonging and allows me to be of service to others through my music.
