David Huron
Midwest Regional Society for Ethnomusicology Conference
Bowling Green, Ohio, April 2, 2005
Post-war involvement by the United States has dramatically shaped Micronesian cultures. Despite significant Westernization, varying degrees of enculturation are evident, from the highly Americanized island of Guam to the more culturally distinct island of Yap (Lockwood, 2004). Differences between the islands provide opportunities to study factors that promote or resist globalization.
This presentation reports on a benchmark survey of local radio broadcasting and sales of tapes/CDs on the islands of Majuro, Pohnpei, and Palau. Broadcasts were sampled, and inventories were taken of tapes/CDs on sale in local shops. Materials were classified according to cultural source, musical style, and language.
For comparison purposes, parallel surveys were conducted on Guam (nominally Micronesian/Chamorro) and O'ahu (nominally Polynesian). The five islands surveyed differ in standard-of-living, relationship to the U.S., and amount of tourism.
Informants report that local music-making has increased in recent years due to the availability of cheap electronic keyboards, drum machines, and CD-burners. This is confirmed by the media surveys. As elsewhere in the Pacific, Reggae remains the dominant popular style. Despite the cultural differences between the 300-odd islands in the region, the displacement of local languages by English may be contributing to a nascent pan-Micronesian culture. Parallels may be drawn to the emergence of pan-Indian music in Native American culture (Howard, 1955).
Lockwood, V.S. (ed.) (2004). Globalization and Culture Change in the Pacific Islands. Upper Saddle River NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Howard, J.H. (1955). Pan-Indian culture of Oklahoma. Scientific Monthly, Vol. 81, pp. 215-220.