TE VAKA - ALAMAGOTO (Live at Apia Park)

Title: Alamagoto



Performer: Te Vaka



Culture or Origin: South Pacific "Fusion" (according to the Te Vaka website (http://www.tevaka.com/) their music is a blend of Tokelau, Tuvalu, Samoa, Cook Islands and New Zealand).



Orchestration: Features the log drum "pate", guitars (electric and acoustic), xylophone, male soloist, female backup singers, modern drum set, tambourine.



I chose this piece because it is so happy and the energy between the performers and the audience is infectious. Te Vaka is a truly authentic, South Pacific Fusion group that is extremely popular in polynesian music. Campbell mentions in the text that there are some beliefs that say a culture should stay close to its source and that all reproductions should preserve and conserve the true nature of the music. Another approach is seen as an "expressionist" way of creating. This is the group that is drawn to a certain style of music because of it's expressive and artistic form. I believe that Te Vaka follows this belief for creating world cultural music beautifully. They have taken what they love from many different south pacific cultures and blended them together to create their polynesian genre. Clearly the people love what they hear the band doing, and you can tell they have a sense of pride for the music that is being created representing their cultures.



The lyrics translated to English for Alamagoto are as follows:

I have seen it with my own eyes

The sun shone so brightly

Making me sing

Soon I was dancing

Overcome with joy

This land this land

Feels so good

I found I found

Warm friends

And companions

I’m familiar with

This land feels so good

So much for me to celebrate

This journey in the new year

So much for me to celebrate

This land where I was born

All sing to celebrate

Alamagoto

All dance to celebrate

Alamagoto

Left this land a long time ago

Much has happened in my life

Never looking back

To where I came from

Still she calls me

To return home

Clearly this piece is a tribute to a land that the composer is extremely proud of. I love the drum break at 3:12 in the piece. The acapella section breaks up the piece nicely following the drum break.



There are many strategies Campell mentions in the text that could be used in teaching this song to a class. There is a definite groove going on between the performers on stage. Groove is one of the strategies mentioned by Campbell. Singers could join in with an improvisational approach. I also think this song lends itself to call and response which is another strategy. The male soloist is the "caller" and the backup singers are the "responders." Using that as a creating music strategy would work well in this context. There are many melodic and rhythmic fragments used throughout the number that instrumentalists and singers can repeat. The motive could be introduced to the students then repeated in many different ways with voices and instruments.



It is interesting how these creative strategies can be used universally among so many different genres and styles of music.