Sacred Sounds: Belief & Society
odd: label: Introduction
content: Reflecting the widespread and growing public awareness of and interest in religious beliefs and spiritual meaning in everyday life, the 1997 Festival program Sacred Sounds: Belief & Society featured a variety of religious and spiritual traditions.

Throughout world history sacred sounds have served as a medium for human cultures to raise queries, advance beliefs, give praise, and inspire others to join in exploration of the mysteries of earthly existence and the greater universe. These sacred sound traditions encompass a broad range of expressive forms: melodic and repetitive vocalizations called chants; sharp, passionate, emotion-filled hums, groans, shouts; percussive, rhythmic hand claps and foot stomps; and extended song, sermon, and instrumental arrangements. Instrumental music, sung prayers, and mystical chants have been used to communicate with the divine, to unite religious communities, and to express moral, political, social, and economic aspirations. Sacred sounds in many traditions are the central means for invocation of the spirits. The utterance of particular sounds is thought by many cultures to form a connection to all the elements of the universe. In some belief systems music and sound vibrations are pathways for healing body, mind, and spirit. Among the wide range of human expressive behavior, the capacity to infuse the joys, sorrows, and humility that characterize religious and spiritual beliefs into oral poetry, chants, songs, and instrumental music is certainly one of the most powerful and inspirational ways all peoples and cultures acknowledge the spirit of the Supreme in their lives.

Through performances and discussions with Festival visitors, Festival participants from Old Regular Baptist communities in Kentucky, hip hop Christian worshipers from The Bronx, New York, African American gospel choirs and quartets, representatives of South African indigenous-Christian blends of worship and popular music, and practitioners of Islamic and Judaic traditions in Jerusalem, among other religious and cultural communities, shared their perspectives and feelings about the intrinsic nature of their sacred cultures and the musical extensions of their faiths into the secular world.

James Early and Ivy Young were Curators of the program. Support for the program came from the Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Funds and the Republic of South Africa Department of Arts, Culture, Science, and Technology.
label: Presenters
content: Sello Galane, Rayna Green, Bobby Hill, Angela Impey, Richard Kennedy, Carmen Lattimore, Sandra Rattley Lewis, Daddy Mokgolo Lazarus Mphahlele, Nithya Nagarajan, Uma Nagarajan, Gustavo Paredes, Kate Rinzler, Amnon Shiloah, Jeff Todd Titon, Jacquie Gales Webb
label: Participants
content: MUSIC PERFORMANCE & NARRATIVE TRADITIONS

RAGAMALIKA GROUP (Maragatham Ramaswamy and Students), Carnatic Devotional Music of India, Washington, D.C.  -- RAGAMALIKA GROUP (Maragatham Ramaswamy and Students), Carnatic Devotional Music of India, Washington, D.C.N. Janakiraman, Washington, D.C.Nithya Nagarajan, Washington, D.C.Uma Nagarajan, Washington, D.C.Krupa Rajan, Washington, D.C.Prasant Rajan, violin, Washington, D.C.Maragatham, Washington, D.C.Ramaswamy, Washington, D.C.Sandhya Ramnath, Washington, D.C.S. Sivanandan, Washington, D.C.R.K. Tiruchelvan, Washington, D.C.

BROTHERS INC. 4 DA LORD, Christian Hip Hop, Bronx, New York  -- BROTHERS INC. 4 DA LORD, Christian Hip Hop, Bronx, New YorkHumberto Bocachica, vocalsRicardo Bocachica, vocalsMichael Hamlett, vocalsJairo Rodriguez, vocals

HAWAI'I GAGAKU KENKYUKAI, Japanese Ritual Music, Honolulu, Hawai'i  -- HAWAI'I GAGAKU KENKYUKAI, Japanese Ritual Music, Honolulu, Hawai'iRoy Forbes, talkofkomabueLynne Fukuda, gakuso, shokoRobert Herr, kakko, sannotsuzumiYoshie Hirose, kagura dance, shokoEdean Kinoshita, gakubiwaDarin Miyashiro, gakusoAnna Pung, bugaku rakusonSam Schank, hichirikiAlan Shamoto, sho, talkoMasatoshi Shamoto, ryutekilkomabue

JERUSALEMITE RELIGIOUS CHANT GROUP, Muslim Praise Song, Jerusalem  -- JERUSALEMITE RELIGIOUS CHANT GROUP, Muslim Praise Song, JerusalemIsmail Sudki Dwiek, vocalsJamil Diab Dweik, vocalsMuhamad Yihia Sadek Dweik, vocalsSaber Abdallah Joundi, vocalsMuhamad Talgi Samour Sader, vocalsKamel Ahmad Shahin, vocals

MONKS OF WAT THAI OF WASHINGTON, D.C., Buddhist Devotional Chant  -- MONKS OF WAT THAI OF WASHINGTON, D.C., Buddhist Devotional ChantVen. Phramaha Surasak Jivanando, Washington, D.C.Ven. Phramaha Tanat Inthisan, Washington, D.C.Ven. Phramaha Taweepong Khampitak, Washington, D.C.Ven. Phra Ampol Polman, Washington, D.C.Ven. Phramaha Prakob Saisangchan, Washington, D.C.

NATAL '77, South African A Cappella, Durban, South Africa  -- NATAL '77, South African A Cappella, Durban, South AfricaBhili BiyelaNcunga BiyelaNicholas BiyelaRichard MagubaneGcinimpilo MbuyisaIsaac MbuyisaSamuel MbuyisaPaulos MsimangaRichard ZunguEmanuel Zwane

OLD REGULAR BAPTISTS OF THE INDIAN BOTTOM ASSOCIATION, Gospel, Lined-Out Hymnody, Southeastern Kentucky  -- OLD REGULAR BAPTISTS OF THE INDIAN BOTTOM ASSOCIATION, Gospel, Lined-Out Hymnody, Southeastern KentuckyElwood Cornett, vocalsKathy Cornett, vocalsGrethel Fields, vocalsJim Fields, vocalsDon Pratt, vocalsShirley Pratt, vocals

OMO 'NÀGÓ (Children of the Anàgó), Orisha Sacred Music  -- OMO 'NÀGÓ (Children of the Anàgó), Orisha Sacred MusicRichard Byrd, percussion, vocals, East Orange, New JerseyBeverley Hutchinson, vocals, New York, New YorkJohn Mason, drums, vocals, Brooklyn, New YorkClaudette "Olufemi" Oyewayo, shekere,vocals, New York, New YorkEric Rucker, shekere, agogo (bells), vocals, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaLarry Washington, drums, vocals, East Orange, New Jersey

ELAINE PURKEY AND FRIENDS, Gospel  -- ELAINE PURKEY AND FRIENDS, GospelStephanie Adkins, bass, vocals, Logan County, West VirginiaTelina Adkins, piano, vocals, Logan County, West VirginiaHomer Scott Holstein, guitar, mandolin, banjo, Boone County, West VirginiaMatt Mitchell, guitar, vocals, Lincoln County, West VirginiaElaine Purkey, guitar, vocals, Lincoln County, West Virginia

NANCY RICHARDSON, Native American Story Songs, McKinleyville, CA  -- NANCY RICHARDSON, Native American Story Songs, McKinleyville, CANancy Richardson, vocalsBert Steele, clapper

SEVEN SONS, Quartet Style Gospel, Washington, D.C.  -- SEVEN SONS, Quartet Style Gospel, Washington, D.C.Quentin Childress, lead guitar, vocals, Washington, D.C.Lee Hailey, drums, Washington, D.C.Rev. James Hardy, vocals, Washington, D.C.Nathan Jones, organ, vocals, Washington, D.C.Thomas Peterson, vocals, Washington, D.C.Joseph Preston, vocals, Washington, D.C.Frank Robinson, vocals, Washington, D.C.Wardell Rogers, bass guitar, Washington, D.C.

SHIRU SHIR (Sing a Song), Jewish Traditions, Jerusalem  -- SHIRU SHIR (Sing a Song), Jewish Traditions, JerusalemCantor Shlomo BarhumCantor Ezra BarneaDavid ChaiSara Charat, songstressCantor David Moyal

ST. AUGUSTINE GOSPEL CHOIR, St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church, Washington, D.C.  -- ST. AUGUSTINE GOSPEL CHOIR, St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church, Washington, D.C.Valeria Foster, choir director, Washington, D.C.Gwen Adams, Washington, D.C.Joanne Barber, Washington, D.C.Cecelia Braveboy, Washington, D.C.Everett Brooks, Washington, D.C.Violet Broomfield, Washington, D.C.Sandra Bunting-Tyson, Washington, D.C.John Butt, Washington, D.C.Leonthena Carrington, Washington, D.C.Patricia Carter, Washington, D.C.Amy Chan, Washington, D.C.Marshall Clair, Washington, D.C.Tacha Coleman, Washington, D.C.Vanessa Cooke, Washington, D.C.Natalie Cooper, Washington, D.C.Ron Crenshaw, Washington, D.C.Samuel Cromwell, Washington, D.C.Mary Degnan, Washington, D.C.Pauline Dines, Washington, D.C.Michael Douglas, Washington, D.C.Beverly Evans, Washington, D.C.John Goudeaux, Washington, D.C.Desiree Grant, Washington, D.C.Jacqueline Greene, Washington, D.C.Angela Griffiths, Washington, D.C.Joyce Marie Hall, Washington, D.C.Keith Harris, Washington, D.C.Brenda Harrison, Washington, D.C.Emily Harrison, Washington, D.C.Cecil Herd, Washington, D.C.Kathleen Herd, Washington, D.C.L'Tanya Holley, Washington, D.C.Brian Kapfer, Washington, D.C.Raymond Kemmerer, Washington, D.C.LeRoy Martin, Washington, D.C.Florence Matthews, Washington, D.C.Erma Mellard, Washington, D.C.Richard Middleton, Washington, D.C.Mary Moffitt, Washington, D.C.Shirley Monastra, Washington, D.C.Ron Morgan, Washington, D.C.Michael Newsom, Washington, D.C.Revandra Newton, Washington, D.C.Gabriele Nicolet, Washington, D.C.Alda Ottley, Washington, D.C.Gillian Pratt, Washington, D.C.Cornelia Rajah, Washington, D.C.Angela Richardson, Washington, D.C.Emily Rose, Washington, D.C.Pamela Sanford, Washington, D.C.Lester Saucer, Washington, D.C.Jacquelyn Smith, Washington, D.C.Jeanne-Marie Smith, Washington, D.C.Shirl Smith, Washington, D.C.Bonita Spurgeon, Washington, D.C.Althea Thomas, Washington, D.C.Willie Thomas, Washington, D.C.Stephanie Toliver, Washington, D.C.Jarret Topolsky, Washington, D.C.Phillip Williams, Washington, D.C.Dorothea Witaker, Washington, D.C.Patricia Yates, Washington, D.C.

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK, African-American a cappella, Washington, D.C.  -- SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK, African-American a cappella, Washington, D.C.Ysaye Maria Barnwell, vocals, Washington, D.C.Nitanju Bolade Casel, vocals, Washington, D.C.Shirley Childress Johnson, sign language interpreter, Washington, D.C.Aisha Kahlil, vocals, Washington, D.C.Carol Maillard, vocals, Washington, D.C.Bernice Johnson Reagon, vocals, Washington, D.C.

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH, South African Worship Traditions, Seshego, Pietersburg, South Africa
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1997 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1997, Series 4
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials