Traditional Music for Cultural Continuity, Sustainability, and Community Well-Being: A Case Study of the Nepalese Diaspora Community in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Creators: Giri, Subash
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

<p>This dissertation examines the efficacy of Community Collaborative Participatory (CCP) ethnomusicological research carried out for the cultural continuity, sustainability, and well-being of the Nepalese immigrant community of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It outlines the three traditional music-centered and culture-centered research intervention initiatives––1) Traditional Music Teaching (TMT) Project, 2) Heritage Music Ensemble (HME) Project, and 3) Digital Community Archive (DCA) Project––directed to address the Nepalese diasporic community’s socio-cultural and well-being-associated issues and challenges that emerged from their Community Needs and Resource Assessment (CNRA). <br>
The TMT project entailed creating culture-themed songs, developing music pedagogy, and crafting musical instruments, followed by community children- and youth-focused traditional music training and a community performance. The HME project entailed the formation and establishment of a Nepalese diasporic traditional music ensemble and actively involved the local musicians and instrument makers in routine musicking, musical training, public performance, and recording. The DCA project entailed the creation and development of a community-based virtual ethnographic archive that houses social, cultural, historical, artistic, and teaching-learning resources, including audio, video, and image materials of music, musical instruments, history, arts, culture, community rituals, traditional practices, interviews, memoirs, articles, creative writings, and teaching/training curriculums. All three intervention initiatives embodied grassroots involvement and egalitarian participation of the multiple actors of the community––one community organization; two cultural groups; and multiple traditional knowledge-holders, community representatives, cultural leaders, local musicians, community songwriters, children, and youth––who collectively worked towards achieving a common goal.<br>
Drawing upon the combined field notes, participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, direct interactions, dialogues, group discussions, periodical self and collective reflections, and evaluation surveys, this dissertation explores the following outcomes: 1) The TMT project assisted in developing a deep sense of ownership and belongingness, appreciating and using local knowledge, renewing traditional arts, persisting an interest in and intention to learn and play Nepalese music, and passing musical knowledge on from the community’s traditional knowledge keepers to newer generation youth and children. It also helped in strengthening and fostering social cohesion, stimulating and building connectivity, reducing COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors, and minimizing immigration-related stressors. 2) The HME project assisted in empowering community musicians through enhancing their musical and performance skills and capabilities, improving their social position and public visibility, advancing their understanding of virtual music jamming platform software and audio equipment, and developing their grant-writing skills. It also contributed to reducing COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors, minimizing immigration-related stressors, and fostering camaraderie, compassion, and connectivity between the members of the group. 3) The DCA project contributed to documenting the history, memories, experiences, cultural practices, musical practices, rituals, and socio-cultural life of the Nepalese diasporic community of Edmonton; revitalizing culture, language, tradition, and heritage; and becoming a potential platform for the community to achieve representation and recognition in multicultural Canadian society. These elements positively impacted the community in its cultural continuity and sustainability and contributed to improving the well-being of the community.</p>