Cultural Pride with Sound

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    In Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Indonesia written by Anne Rasmussen, we learn how Islamic music expressed their religion through festivals and competitions to show their devotion and cultural pride. Hearing about this made me think about concerts and music competitions like The Voice or even a school talent show. In general, music brings people together. 
    
    Rasmussen also mentioned that the music shows their cultural pride. This reminded me of this song "Proud to be Bermudian." We would sing this song at school, during Cup Match (Bermudian holiday), in the car etc. This song gives me great cultural pride when singing it because it touches on all the little details of Bermuda that makes it so great in our eyes. The codfish, playing marbles, fishing off rocks, hot cross buns, saying hi to everyone etc. It also says how we're not perfect but that we can rise above anything. Though our island isn't super big, tragedy still occurs. And when it does, everyone feels it. The song says how we can push through and overcome all of this together. Personally, whenever I hear this song I can't help but smile and sing along. As I said before, music brings people together and there's no better example than this song. I remember when it first came out, people couldn't stop singing it. People who didn't know each other would join in and sing with one another because all that mattered was that we were proud of where we came from and people easily bonded over that. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnFX43E-k9s

^ Link to the song ^ 

    Another sound that gives me cultural pride is the sound of Gombeys. Guys (all ages could be as young as 7 and as old as 60 for example) dress up as Gombeys and go all around the island dancing to their music. You can hear them from neighbourhoods away because of the loud whistles and drums that are played. The Gombeys go into a bunch of neighbourhoods and people even tend to follow the Gombeys around the island. 


young Gombey





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