Songs help in establishing strong bonds across cultures

Washington: The soothing and calming effect of music is known to many but less is known about how it has the power to bolster communication with non-human life forms. Not only this, music is central in supporting expressions of emotion that transcend cultural divides, a new study has found.

Scientific research shows that ethnobiological knowledge is transmitted through song, and how music has the power to express and enforce the intricate relationships among humans, other beings, and their ecosystems.

"For many Indigenous communities, the land and the songs associated with it are intimately connected. Music can trace Indigenous Peoples' experiences and relationships to the lands in which they have historically lived", said Dr Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki.

"Since 2012 I have been working among the Tsimane' people in the depths of the Amazon rainforest and I have always been fascinated by the breadth and depth of their ancient songs. During these years, I have been able to compile much information on the social and ecological contexts in which songs are performed and transmitted", he explained.

Alvaro added that the research published in the journal Ethnobiology shows that "music is a timeless prism for looking at human-wildlife relations in all their complexities and magnificence". "While traditional music is certainly under risk of attrition in many corners of the world, the extent to which traditional songs continue to be honoured and celebrated attests to their incredible resilience," he said.

 

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