Academic Major: Music Education/Music Performance
Advisor: Philip Salathe
Title: A Reflection on American and Indigenous History Through the Flute
Often presented as the oldest known instrument to mankind, the flute has taken numerous forms since its supposed inception in the Paleolithic era. The development of flute traditions in various cultures over time has further shaped our understanding of the instrument in an ethnomusicological context. Historically, the narrative of American flute traditions presents a juxtaposition between the forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples by American settlers into conformity with European societal norms and the progressive, participatory movements of modern flute culture. With these sentiments in mind, my research aims to document the relationship between American societal developments and the evolution of flute culture throughout American history. Through archival research, I intend to present the flute and its traditions in America as a kind of mirrored representation of the transformations in societal currents over time. Necessarily, this research will delve into the societal customs and musical traditions of the Iroquois Confederacy Mohawk people, with special attention given to the Akwesasne community of the North Country. My research will also incorporate scholarly studies of the flute as an indication of social status in applicable cultures, as well as the customs surrounding the flute and its performers in North America. This project will exceed the scope of both the musicology and flute performance studies at Crane, as its research aims to present the cultural inequalities experienced by the Mohawk people through a musical lens. Although compositions inspired by Indigenous musical traditions have begun to surface in the western flute performance tradition, the disciplines almost never include coursework that is specifically dedicated to the study of Iroquoian flute traditions in North America. In addition, this project seeks to build a connection between musical influences of the pre-colonial and colonial eras with those of the present society. Alleged connections of this sort are often thoroughly overlooked in coursework centered around analyses of the western musical canon. Lastly, I aim to compile my research into an academic paper, with the goal of presenting my findings at a major flute festival.