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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

Tonga, church music, musicological, hymns, choir

College

Humanities

Department

Comparative Arts and Letters

Abstract

In Tongan culture, music is very much a part of the natural expression of the people. In the Western tradition, musical experience is often limited to a setting in which an isolated group of performers presents a work to the general public, who observe as an outside audience. In Tongan culture, members of the general public are both audience and performer. Large groups of people are gathered together to present a work of both music and dance. In this setting, performance is not so much dependent upon isolated skills developed by a few, but it is a more democratic experience in which all are invited to participate in making music. In particular, this sort of musical experience is significant to the religious life of a culture in which Christianity is a very dominant force. Congregations in Tongan churches have a higher regard for their congregational singing as a performance event. Because of this, the traditional music sung in services for the various religious denominations is a dynamic and very specifically Tongan experience. However, there are some very strong Western influences.

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