The Hoped-for Art Forum

The Hoped-for Art Forum

by Rahel Asgedom

Human beings express their happiness, despair, loneliness, bravery and other emotional feelings in words. However, choreography is also another way of expressing human emotions and feelings by way of physical movements. In the course of the two-day Workshop on Eritrean Music and Choreography that was held from 20 to 21 October at Hotel Asmara Palace, “Choreography is not a supplementary part of an art that must accompany any kind of music with a view to embellishing any occasion. But choreography has its own rules of step composition. That’s why it is categorized as an independent discipline of art. People can express their emotional feelings or opinions through dancing with out adding a single musical instrument,” said choreographer Hermon Hagos.

Dancing has been practiced from ancient times around the globe. “Our great-grandfathers did not consider dancing solely as an entertainment. Dancing has long been integral to all local ballads with refrain and other traditional performances. Choreography is chiefly an art which requires extensive researches and studies in a scientific way,” explained Hermon.

Prior to the emergence of fully-fledged human language, humankind used to communicate ideas, feelings and situations through physical movements. With time, humankind developed various kinds of art as a means to expressing their surrounding and feelings in their day-to-day living. History tells that early humankind used to depend on hunting and gathering for foodstuff and shelter. In order to show their fears, courage, and strength they might have faced while hunting, they had developed a step sequence known as the hunting dance.

Dancing in Eritrea has been practiced for a long time; it has been developing along with the socio-political evolution of the nation. The number and diversity of Eritrean music with their numerous patterns give a kaleidoscopic aesthetics to the artistic works of the country. The nine Eritrean nationalities have different styles of dances even though some of them appear interrelated with one another. “However, a thorough study is required to exactly register the number of choreographic arrangements we have within our clutches,” emphasized Hermon.

Eritrea has almost 150 dance compositions. For instance, the Tigrinya ethnic group has four dancing style, Bilen four, Kunama twelve, Tigre six, Saho four and Bedawyet four. Each nationality has its own choreographic patterns in reflection of the respective society and are danced for various occasions: funeral procession, wedding, baptism, regional or cultural ceremonies and the list goes.

Likewise, Eritrean dancing has been improving and refining each day. Many young artists have been striving in developing the cultural dances of the all Eritrean nationalities. As such, Eritrea is gaining more audience across the globe. This in turn mirrors the extent of the development thus far scored. Some of the cultural dances seem to have lost their originality bit by bit owing to the fact that the young artists are blending them with modern insertions of dance compositions from other parts of the planet. “Yet, we all have to work hard in keeping the originality, provided that we can somehow improvise our dancing styles. Our cultural dances are the hallmark of our identity,” disclosed Hermon Hagos.

Music is a universal language; fauna and flora respond to the music they hear. Music refreshes and relaxes our mind. It is a panacea for mental and physical inabilities, explained Mr. Mohammed Salih a composer who studied music in China for four years. “When I was in China, my Chinese friends used to tell me the beauty of our unique drums. The foreigners like our songs and our unique cultural instrument’s because of the diversity and beauty. Nevertheless, some of our music lacks the arrangements and techniques desired. And hence, we all musicians have to work hard so as to improve our music beyond its current status,” said Mr. Mohammed. Therefore, a continuous training is of necessity imperative for the beginners. There should be aground for exchanging experienceswithforeignmusicians. To this end, music institutions or an independent college just for music students is essential in order to effect a quality musicality as well as professionalism, suggested Mr. Mohammed Salih.

Despite human voice in itself might not be regarded as a musical instrument, however, it has been supportive and central to music. The human vocal has been streamlining along with the musical instruments that are growing both in quality and kind. Human voice is also an art. This artistic work naturally expresses human emotions, explained the vocal expert Mr. Barnabas Mebrahtu. “The point that differentiates vocal from musical instruments is that our voice is created from inside of our internal organs. Thus, it is natural. However, the musical instruments are artificial. If I want to buy a superb guitar, for instance, it is only a matter of money; I can have it by paying tens of thousands of dollar. Nonetheless, human voice can not be purchased, it is a natural gift,” stated Mr. Barnabus.

Moreover, the vocalist elucidated that human voice is divided into two: females mostly have a descant voice and males have bass voice. “Naturally, we all do have different kinds of voice that means we all are endowed with unique gift. It is always better to understand and identify your natural voice than destroying it by attempting to impersonate others for it may damage your own voice permanently. Whatever the potential, continuous practice makes one musician perfect,” stressed Mr. Barnabas.

One of the prominent singers since the days of armed struggle Mr. Stifanos Abraham on his part explained, “We used to produce good revolutionary music in spite of all the shortcomings during the liberation struggle. However, currently with the technological advances, most of our young singers have developed the tendency to depend on music softwares, which would negatively affect the test of music.” Mr. Stifanos, therefore, recommends that musicians need utilize their natural talents independently without relying on add-ons.

Mr. Bereket Mengsteab is one of the many veteran singers since the 1950’s. Mr. Bereket has been playing a big role in developing Eritrean music dating back to 1950’s. He also participated in producing national songs during the days of the armed struggle to agitate, add impetus, as well as encourage and motivate the youth. He is best known, too, for his love and folk songs to a very great degree. In the pre-independence period, he has contributed a great deal of music. “Such kind of workshop is essential so as to asses and rearrange musicality with my children; the current musicians.

Music in Eritrea still remains to be promising. I inherited music from my great grandfathers and these young musicians have also inherited from their father’s, we the veteran singers. Thus, I feel relived to see the culture of bequeathing handed down to the younger generation of artists, and I believe that I have discharged the responsibility I owe,” expressed Mr. Bereket Mengsteab.

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