Grade 6, Unit 5, Lesson 2
South America is a large continent,
with many countries. To learn more about the folk music
of this vast area, start with what you already know.
"Chíu, chíu, chíu" comes from Uruguay, one of the smaller
South American countries. Find Uruguay on a map and
follow the coast line down and around to see how many
countries you find. Then look in the center of South
America and find the countries that have no coast line.
Make a list of all South American countries. As you
learn about South American folk music, make notes with
interesting information about music in different countries.
The folk music of South America combines musical elements
and styles from people who were brought together during
hundreds of years of exploration and development. Spanish
and Portuguese settlers, enslaved people and workers
brought from Africa and Asia, as well as natives all
brought something special from their own culture. As
people from different cultures married and had children,
new customs and new music developed.
Music making in South America has always been a part
of festivals, religious celebrations, and the carnival
season, and this tradition continues today in most countries.
Spanish is spoken in most South American countries,
so the songs of those countries are mostly in Spanish.
Brazil is the exception. The language of Brazil, the
largest country in South America, is Portuguese. In
some countries native languages are also spoken, and
folk songs are sung in native languages as well.
Instruments used in South America include many percussion
instruments and drums. Guitars are important in many
countries, reflecting the Spanish influence. Native
people in the Andes mountain regions have played panpipes
for centuries.
The best way to learn about any kind of music is to
listen to it. Try to find a way to listen to some music
from any South American country. Then:
- Compare what you hear in the music to the other
music you know, including "Chíu, chíu, chíu."
- Make a list of instruments you can identify.
- Describe differences and similarities in the musical
elements.
- Move or dance with the music.
- Use percussion instruments to play along.
- Listen for repetition of sections and describe the
form.
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