Growing up I went to concerts performed at the open Air theater at the UPNG campus to watch the once upon a time "Magic man of music...Sanguma"
Their Music was awesome and uniquely Papua New Guinean...a sound that PNG could identify with...our land our culture...
I remember the world tour...where the world was stunned by this so-called magic man of music...asking where they were from...Jamaica?? Africa??...
Smoke screens...a play of light...and a beating Garamut..and lone dreaded dancer appears on stage in an hypnotic dance
...chanting..pacing...moving from instrument to instrument...slowly introducing different sounds...could be a electric guitar...a bamboo flut...a kwakumba...the music undisturbed...flowing...not jazz..not funk...not raggae, not pop...just "Sanguma Sound"....twas what they would come to term it as...it was Fussion Music PNG style...This men half dressed in traditional Atir created a hypnotic/trance like atmosphere...the audience treated to a show both theatrical, musical and mystical!!!
Don't let this out...you young PNG musicians...lets create something thats ours...something that captures our tradition...and preserves in so doing...investigate traditional music..the story behind it...theres more to music then just dance and music...it lives...it comes from the inside out...its raw emotion..language of the soul...feel it....its you and me...our identity...experiment with Contemporary music...the world wants something different...something new...and I believe "Sanguma music" can do just that...
Don't let it die!!!
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c'mon people we got to do something about it! Iam really touched by the above post, anyway I'm not a musican but somebody out there in the music industry or any talented peoples can bring sanguma to live once again and we will all give our blessings and you shall prosper.
happy papua new guinean.
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Thats veyh true. We can see that the young generation of today are flying with the wind adapting and adjusting to the fashion culture. Not long our unique and native culture in PNG will definately fade away as time cross our faces. How can we preserve it. It entirly depends on us as nindividuals. We should be start educating the younger ones and maintain the unique and the most loved culture of the beautiful PNG.
PNG fit natin
Ta!!!!
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Thats veyh true. We can see that the young generation of today are flying with the wind adapting and adjusting to the fashion culture. Not long our unique and native culture in PNG will definately fade away as time cross our faces. How can we preserve it. It entirly depends on us as nindividuals. We should be start educating the younger ones and maintain the unique and the most loved culture of the beautiful PNG.
PNG fit natin
Ta!!!!
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Very Touched indeed. Sunguma music was no ordinary music. To me it was cleverly organised traditional music written and arranged by the artist using contemporary musical beats, rhythmn, and patterns.
Everyone who would hear it thought it was unique, had so much taste, ....and of ocurse identified PNG on world music charts. Sanguma music is not comparable with any form of music....
HOW CAN SANGUMA MUSIC BE CLASSIFIED TRADITIONAL, ORIGINAL AND REPRESENT OUR IDENTITY WHEN THE INSTRUMENTS THEY USED WERE ALL WHITEMEN's,FOREIGN AND IMPORTED LIKE GUITARS,KEYBOARDS SAXAPHONES,PIANO,DRUMS,TRUMPET,ORGAN etc....THESE INSTRUMENTS DOMINATE THEIR MUSIC SOUNDS ..ARE THESE INSTRUMENTS TRADITIONAL AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INVENTED AND USED BY OUR ANCESTERS????PLEASE I DONT THINK SO.just because they sing Tokples does not mean thats traditional.CHECK YOUR CLASSIFICATION.
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Do you know that they (the band members) actually went out to each of their villages and learnt how the songs came about...the story behind them..etc...and even how to build the instruments..etc..
YEs They do use mordern instruments and to play the music...but have you notice it is totally unique music...the traditional tunes of the songs are maintained through out...the intruments play off chords..behainim neck blo singsing...the feeling is totally different to when listening to music nowadays...the ones that play traditional songs using major chords and some minor and seventh chords placed here and there...the music..(omitted the traditional words) is still western...
Sangumas...music when commented on by Music critics from through out the world...they tried to compare it to Raggae, pop, Jazz, blues, etc....there was none like it...it was a new sound...strong melanesian ethnic flavour and influence...they (the music critics) named it "Sanguma Sound"...
It is contemporary PNG music, fussion music...a merge between the old and new...like todays generation (us)...
There were times when all mordern intruments would die down and a traditional instrument would play whilst a voice would explain the next item...when it was performed in what part of PNG etc...a brief history...the roots of the song...even a dance...
They made a mark on the world...because their music was unique...
I would love to see more PNG musicians venture and experiment with this kind of music...don't take it as an insult..take it as a challenge...you never know...the talent to create this kind of music maybe there...dorment...waiting for you to tap into it...there is a market for it overseas...
proudly PNG..
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yep its me again...still continuing my call for the ressurection of Sanguma sounds...
PLis plis plis....let me breath easy..C'mon CHM..c'mon musicians I know you can do it...lets contribute to culture preservation, lets give the world a taste of PNG music...unique...ours...identity...
Proudly PNGian
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If you like Sanguma,
no worries, Drum Drum is keeping the tradition alive.
check em out at www.drumdrum.com.au
great blend of traditional and contemporary, traditional as well as western instruments.
I left PNG when i was 12 so when they came to the US on tour it was awesome. Loved the Kiwai and Manus dancing.
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Hello all you wonderful proud Papua New Guineans,fasten your seatbelts because the music of the magic men of PNG is and will be revived in due course.Its coming!
LOCK AND LOAD!!!!
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One of my price possession a live Sanguma music video, 'The Magic Man', it was recorded in Denver, CO, USA, back in the early 80..It has interviews and traditional songs. Yeah, trupla PNG Music..PNG muysic has moved away from that style. When speaking about PNG i show the video and it amazes the audience..
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I would love to help in anyway to also get Sanguma or at least the Sanguma blend and style revived.
Could you contact me as an article in Rage could get the process moving and more and more people involved.
Address is embedded. Please contact me especially Kumusi as the tape ou have would be invaluable in establishing a foudation. As for the those critics who suggest that the use of modern instruments corrupt our traditional music, please think of it simply as a way to amplify our music.
We use flutes, drums and chants and vocals. The use of modern intruments merely amplifies and harmonises our traditional melodies.
A wonderful concept nevertheless.
Cheers
Editor - Rage PNG Magazine
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I am a young generation of PNG. i'm not a musicion, and never got to see the glory days of Sanguma... but the first time i heard Sanguma's music........ it was awesome! i have never heard any other band play like that. oh yeah..tambaran cultue was okay too.
i heard the prevliage of meeting Tony Subam and heard him play recently with UPNG arts students and em best ya. the way they incoparate modern musical instrument with pure traditional instuments. yu husat lo tamblo tok nogat....Sanguma Rocks!!! Big time. their music was unique and should be revived. KIRAPIM BEK SANGUMA!!!!!!
Knightim ol sanguma band members.... TONY SUBAM....awara tepo sena!!!!
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I have heard that Sanguma (and Tambaran Culture) are to be revived. The revival will be led by several members of the bands who also would like to see the sound of Sanguma preserved. I hope they will be strongly supported by PNGeans when they make their move.
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Check the UPNG faculty of creative arts expecially the Music students. They used to produce that sort of styles. We used to attend their assembles in the early to mid nineties. They play anything from jazz to classical and contemporary...they were very professional indeed. They really can play music. Their dance and dramma students too were awesome....the likes of Calixtus Simeon,Helen Mesibere and the tolai girl on the Planet fanta program (EM TV).
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Rage Editor and others, can you please, blow this out as an appeal to the former band members and other possible sponsors for the revival of Sanguma? The media would be one avenue.
We really need to REVIVE SANGUMA.
Narapela Sanguma Fan
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Former Drummer and Bass Player of both bands (Ben Hakalitz and Peter Kailap) now live in Cairns and are considering forming a band along the lines of these 2 great bands. I hope the rumours are correct.
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