Week 8- Diane Tran

According to the article, "Earth song as a story work: Reclaiming Indigenous knowledge" by Bronwyn Fredricks indicates how Indigenous people believe that earth portrays songs and it plays a role in the academy. The Indigenous people also believe that the earth's songs convey stories. It is believed that we exhibit this by singing "our stor[ies] to the world and of the world" (3).  As Earth's song and storytelling come into play it contributes to the work of the academia. This reveals a part of the Indigenous' knowledge and how it brings harmony to their people. Songs are like stories for the Indigenous people; they sing at gatherings for past, present, and future generations. These stories are often times shared when people are the most vulnerable to emotion such as sorrow, sweetness, etc. By reading this article, it reminds me of other cultures conveying songs and singing as a way to talk to their ancestors or spirits. For example, in the Vietnamese culture, we have something called "Cải lương" which is more of a traditional Vietnamese folk opera. And in a way, I feel like this type of Vietnamese folk opera is similar to the Indigenous' knowledge, the knowledge that is passed through ancestors and spirits exude by the Earth and their songs. "Cải lương tuồng cổ " is a folk opera that tells stories of Vietnamese history that explore social norms, cultural norms, and other aspects of Vietnamese society.  This folk opera tells a story about our past, present, and future to the wide audience watching it. Animals, plants, flowers, love, marriage describes these folk songs and builds a bridge to the spirits of our own ancestors. It highlights and teaches us moral values and I believe that is something all ancestors, religions, and spirits are trying to communicate to us. 

Works Cited

“‘Training Actress and Musician in Terms of Tuong’, ‘Cheo’, ‘Cai Luong’ and Folk Theatre Nationwide in 2016-2020 Periods’ Project.” Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism Portal, english.cinet.vn/articledetail.aspx?articleid=27312.