This thesis examines staged performances of traditional music in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. It includes the
history of traditional performing groups in Ethiopia and their purposes, the continuities and changes in performance practices from the
early twentieth century to the present day, and audience perceptions of these performances. Particular attention is given to the
relationships between traditional musics and Ethiopian nationalism. In response to the rise of ethno-nationalism in the latter part of the
twentieth century, the new government regime that came to power in 1994 employed ethnicity as an organizing principle of the state. The
new constitution divided the nation into ethnically-based regions, and the current government promulgates a distinct brand of national
rhetoric that attempts to appeal to Ethiopia's diverse people groups and promote peaceful interethnic relations. Traditional music groups
have played a role in this project. This thesis will examine how these groups reflect and shape ideas of the ideal Ethiopia and interact
with state discourse. This research is based on fieldwork that I undertook from May 22 to July 1, 2015, during which I attended
traditional music performances and interviewed musicians, administrators, and audience members. The opinions and sentiments of my
interlocutors provide insights into some current perceptions of the government and ethnic allegiances as well as how traditional musics
play a role in cultivating national pride and conceptualizing the Ethiopian nation. All audio recordings referred to in this document have
been made by the author and are included as supplementary files. They are listed as follows: • Track 1 - Oromo Songs, Dimma: a medley of
three Oromo songs from Shewa and Kamise regions, performed by the band at Dimma Cultural Restaurant. • Track 2 - Instrumental, Hager Fikir
at Cultural Festival: an instrumental arrangement performed by the Hager Fikir Theatre cultural music team in Meskel Square, Addis Ababa.
• Track 3 - Welayta and SNNPR Songs, YOD: a medley of songs from southern Ethiopian ethnic groups, performed by the band at YOD Abyssinia
Cultural Restaurant. • Track 4 - Instrumental, Songs in Tizita Major K'inyit, YOD: a demonstration of tizita major, one of the indigenous
Ethiopian scales, by the band at YOD Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant. • Track 5 - Instrumental, Songs in Anchihoye K'inyit, YOD: a
demonstration of anchihoye, one of the indigenous Ethiopian scales, by the band at YOD Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant. • Track 6 -
Instrumental, Songs in Ambassel K'inyit, YOD: a demonstration of ambassel, one of the indigenous Ethiopian scales, by the band at YOD
Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant. • Track 7 - Instrumental, Songs in Bati K'inyit, YOD: a demonstration of bati, one of the indigenous
Ethiopian scales, by the band at YOD Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant. • Track 8 - Instrumental, Songs in Tizita Minor K'inyit, YOD: a
demonstration of tizita minor, one of the indigenous Ethiopian scales, by the band at YOD Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant. • Track 9 - Oromo
Songs, Hager Fikir at Cultural Festival: songs from the Oromo ethnic group, performed by the Hager Fikir Theatre music team during a
festival at Meskel Square, Addis Ababa. • Track 10 - Tigray Song by Alem, Dimma: songs from the Tigray region, performed by Alem Kassa on
vocals and krar at Dimma Cultural Restaurant. • Track 11 - Gondar War Song, YOD: a war song from Gondar, Ethiopia, performed by YOD
Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant's band and featuring Melaku Terraken. • Track 12 - Instrumental, Dimma: an opening instrumental medley by
the band at Dimma Cultural Restaurant. • Track 13 - Tilahun Gessesse Medley, Dimma: a medley of two songs, the first admonishing
Ethiopians to love one another and the second a love song, performed by the band at Dimma Cultural Restaurant. • Track 14 - Song Medley
with Welayta, Tigray, and Other Ethnic Groups, Yared School: a medley of songs from several Ethiopian ethnic groups performed in concert
by students at the Yared School of Music. • Track 15 - Nationalist Songs, Hager Fikir at Beverage Festival: a medley of Ethiopian
patriotic songs, performed by the Hager Fikir Theatre group at Meskel Square, Addis Ababa, during the First Annual Beverage
Festival. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Music. / Spring Semester 2016. / April 7, 2016. / Ethiopia, ethnomusicology, music, musicology, nationalism, traditional / Includes bibliographical references. / Frank Gunderson, Professor Directing Thesis; Margaret Jackson, Committee Member; Jonathan Grant,
Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_360323 |
| Contributors | Bishop, Sarah (authoraut), Gunderson, Frank D. (professor directing thesis), Jackson, Margaret R. (committee member), Grant, Jonathan A. (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Music (degree granting college) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (116 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Coverage | Africa |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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