Voices from the Nations

Karibu Aloha Welcome Velkomen Bienvenido

January 24, 2012

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“(Music) is a means of union among people ……. indispensable for the life and progress towards well-being of individuals and of humanity.” ….. Tolstoy.

Welcome to the stories and news of Martin and Rebekah Neil’s wanderings. Voices from the Nations seek to promote and encourage indigenous cultural music and traditional storytelling. Giving a voice to those not yet heard (in the West) and encouraging their God given gifts, so that they may help to regenerate their communities. We hope you will have fun exploring and learning from the many unique sounds and expressions of the different people we have encountered on our travels. Entwined in their individual musical heritages are the stories and make up of their societies and communities. Looking through their eyes can give us a different perspective and allow us a glimpse into their world.

Donate online and help to transform communities through traditional and creative musical expressions.

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  • We have fostered many musical partnerships that have produced songs and music reflecting traditional indigenous styles and more modern interpretations, a melding of the ancient and the new. Various CD’s available here.♥
  • Read travel reports and see photo galleries from our various wanderings here.♥
  • The drum, often said to be the heartbeat of an indigenous culture. Discover unique expressions of sound often sculpted from resources found in their natural surroundings here.♥
  • A strange collection of photos gathered from our travels, and a jokes page. Encounter the “Far side”here.♥
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  • GET INVOLVED – Links to friends here.♥
  • You can click on any photo to enlarge it.
  • Below this introduction scroll down to our blog.
  • For older blog entries click “Older entries”  at the  bottom left of page

    • What’s new?

  • LATEST POSTS
  • DIGITAL DOWNLOADS FOR CHRISTMAS
  • Digital MP3 downloads of sample album or single tracks from the “Sing to the Well CD” at ITunes, Amazon, Emusic, Rhapsody, Napster etc are AVAILABLE NOW
  • Digital MP3 downloads of sample album or single tracks from the “Fragile Warriors CD” at ITunes, Amazon, Emusic, Rhapsody, Napster etc are AVAILABLE NOW

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Thanks you so much for all your votes …. we are now top of the music section in the Arts category so keep voting and we could raise the profile of VFTN even further a field

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Dispensary update

January 23, 2012

We have just had a note detailing the use that the dispensary has had in the last couple of months. Thanks again for all who have helped with the purchase of the Sing to the Well CD. Our Tanzanian contact writes :

I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU HEAR JUST FEW THINGS ABOUT THE MNASE VILLAGE DISPENSARY-

1.NOV,2011 PATIENTS ATTENDENCE WAS 468 PEOPLE.

2.FIRST 2WEEKS OF DEC.2011   ATT. WAS  142     ”         THE DOCTOR ATTENDED A SAMINER,

3.BED RESTS BELOW 3DYS TIME ATT.WAS 25 PEOPLE IN TWO MONTHS NOV/DEC 20011.

4,NEW BORN/ 4 WOMEN GAVE BIRTH 2 IN NIGHTS AND 2 AT DAY TIMES.

NEXT: We have been asked to help with a supply of towels, curtains and table covers.

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Inuit throat singing

January 20, 2012

I have been reading a wonderful book written in the 1950’2 called “People of the Deer” by Farley Mowat who as a young man spent time with the Ihalmiut people in the Barrens – what is now the Canadian Arctic. Farley also wrote the short story The Snow Walker which later became a wonderful film.

The Inuit’s  “throat singing” is  a singing technique almost exclusively practised by women. (Unique in nature compared to the other 2 throat singing styles – Khöömei, from Mongolia and a style called eefing used by the Xhosa people in South Africa. Here is a video clip explaining a little of how the Inuit use this expression.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IqOegVCNKI

 

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Recording in Hawai’i

December 16, 2011

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We had a great week on the Big Island of Hawai’i and during the week we got a chance to record some Hawaiian chants. Here is Lokelani Dahl playing the Ipu Heke whilst chanting.

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Pictures from the island of Kaua’i

December 14, 2011

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Garlands preview

November 22, 2011

http://www.vimeo.com/32351430

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Garlands for Ashes – order now

November 4, 2011

DVD region

The story … Podcast from Cambodia … Cambodia pictures … Traditional instrument pictures … Video
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Recorded in Phnom Penh and the Mekong delta in Cambodia this package of CD and DVD will take you to the very heart of the Cambodian Christian Arts community so that you can experience in video and pictures, sounds, songs and dances, the Khmer people of Cambodia.

 

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In the 1970’s, during the devastating years of the Pol Pot dictatorship, the beautiful traditions of Cambodia’s artistic community were systematically silenced. In the people’s struggle to survive starvation and brutality in the killing fields, their suppressed creative story lay dormant. Today, the arts are flourishing again, ornate costumed dancers tell their story through intricate hand movements and Khmer music floods the airwaves.

The Garlands for Ashes blog here.

NOTE:  The producers of the “Garlands for Ashes” album would like to clear up a misunderstanding.  Although selling one’s children is unfortunately a common practice among the poor in Cambodia, and even though CCAM has indeed rescued some of their students from such slavery, nevertheless, the Long family featured on this album want to make clear that they never had any intention of selling their children, no matter how poor they became.

Check out one of the tracks below.

Dedication song Play Now | Play in Popup

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