UDC: 784.4(669.1) 781.7(=423) 821.423.09:398 COBISS.SR-ID 109616905 _________________
Received: Aug 28, 2022
Reviewed: Nov 20, 2022
Accepted: Dec 12, 2022
Soundscape on “Àparò"(Partridge) and its
Eco Proverbial Implications in Yoruba Worldview
Olatunbosun Samuel Adekogbe
Department of Music, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria.
bosunadekogbe@gmail.com
Department of Music, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria.
bosunadekogbe@gmail.com
Citation: Adekogbe, S. Olatunbosun. 2023. "Soundscape on “Àparò"(Partridge) and its Eco Proverbial Implications in Yoruba Worldview." Accelerando: Belgrade Journal of Music and Dance 8:5
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Abstract
Soundscape exists through the human impression of the ecological environment. Among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, these impressions are expressed in proverbs that are applicable in two major ways: speech and music. These proverbs are derived from folktales and human experiences through interactions with the environment. This paper therefore, examines the soundscape of selected proverbs as used in songs that center on “Àparò” (partridge) and its eco proverbial implications in human-produced (anthrophony) sounds in Yoruba worldview. The paper focuses on the nature and characteristics of “Àparò" (partridge) as metaphorically used to describe certain human behaviors. Data were elicited through cultural trajectory and purposive selection of Yoruba proverbs on “Àparò" that have adapted to songs using the Theory of Proverb Praxis by Yankah (1989). The songs were analyzed through perspectives from ecomusicological theory. This paper posits that these songs reflect wider environmental strains in Yoruba cultural ethics with implicative emphasis on hatred, jealousy, confidence, unhygienic, pride, problem, sensitivity, and equality. It recommends that the musical portrayal and connotation of human behavior in “Àparò" (Partridge) is a reflection of the socio-social meaning, alerts, balances, capacities, deficiencies, and symbols of the good, the bad and the ugly nature of “Àparò” in the Yoruba etymology.
Keywords: Yoruba worldview, soundscape, Aparo, proverbs, songs, ecomusicological theory, music, implications and environment. |
Introduction
Eco-proverb is an element of eco-critical review which falls under the ambit of the ecocriticism theory. The eco-critical theory endeavors to place a balance between music and the environment, including human behavioral patterns which revolve around musical works with themes on eco proverbial expressions. In this connection, the crux of this paper lies in taking a new look at indigenous/traditional means of metaphorical expressions which are found in proverbial wisdoms and practical application in Yoruba land. Yoruba people are located in the southwestern part of Nigeria and are very rich in proverbs and eco-axioms which are advanced and drawn from the rich historical archive of Yoruba oral practice. Eco proverbial practices in Yoruba land have been effectively applied to discuss and solve inscrutable riddles, an attestation to this fact could be drawn from a Yoruba proverbs that “Òwe l’ẹshin ọ̀rọ̀, tí ọ̀rọ̀ bá sọnù, òwe la fi ńwa” (Proverbs are the riddles to solve a riddle). Writing on the importance of proverbs as part of the elements of cultural transmission, Akporobaro (2006), posits that “proverbs have been and remain a most powerful and effective instrument for transmission of culture, social morality, manners and ideas of a people from one generation to another”.
Proverbs uncovers the idea, insight, and verbal strategies of the past experiences and also stand as a model of a powerful medium to convey feelings and other human relevancies of life. It is on this premise that this paper examines the soundscapes of selected songs (proverbs) that center on “Àparò” and its eco proverbial implications in Yoruba etymology with focus on the nature and characteristics of “Àparò" as metaphorically used to describe certain human behaviors. The songs were analyzed utilizing perspectives from ecomusicological theory with data elicited through cultural trajectory and purposive selection of popular Yoruba songs on “Àparò”. Since proverbs are wealthy in significance, these could be utilized to express virtues in human characters, they are therefore not out of content for ecomusicological researches especially as related to nature and environmental studies which this paper intends to explore within musical portrayal and connotation of human behavior in “Àparò" as a reflection of the socio-social meaning: alerts, balances, capacities, deficiencies, and symbols of the good, the bad and the ugly nature of “Àparò” in the Yoruba etymology. Relevance to Ecomusicology
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References
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