MUSIQUES DE L'ÎLE DE PÂQUES
MUSIC FROM EASTER ISLAND
Anthologie de la Musique des Peuples, 1976, AMP 2908
Another album from that excellent label I borrowed from a library.
Christos Clair-Vasiliadis went to Easter Island (Rapa Nui in the local language) between 22d of February and 8th of March 1976 and recorded there villagers of different ages.
Singing is the primary form of expression with dancing while only percussion instruments are in use traditionally. Of course the guitar found its way to Easter Island to accompany newly composed songs.
So we can listen to different types of songs like choral singing, kai kai which is a song for a game with a set of strings manipulated with the fingers to form shapes, love songs, religious songs, songs of thanks, ...
The island ''discovered'' in 1722 has been part of Chile since 1888 but the original people became full Chilean citizens in 1966 only. The number of indigenous inhabitants was roughly 1500 at the time of the recordings plus several hundred ''white'' people. Despite tourism, the main activity on the island which threatens the Pascuans' way of life, traditional music was very alive back then with many new songs with an obvious influence by Polynesian modern music through the formation of folk groups.
A very interesting recording; but once again I didn't copy the English text so I include picture of the cover with part of the English text found on discogs.
