Sound mimesis in various cultures

The imitation of natural sounds in various cultures is a diverse phenomenon and can fill in various functions. In several instances, it is related to the belief system (yoiks of the Sami, some other shamanic songs and rituals,overtone singing of some cultures). It may serve also such practical goals as luring in the hunt; or entertainment (katajjaqs of Inuit).

Among some peoples of the Altai-Sayan region, including Tofa, the ability to mimic sounds of the environment includes hunting calls, and is present also in a traditional singing tradition preserved only by some old people.

Fields

Shamanism

Shamanism in various cultures shows great diversity. In some cultures, the music or songs related to shamanistic practice may mimic natural sounds, sometimes with onomatopoeia.

Entertainment

The intention to mimic natural sounds is not necessarily linked to shamanistic beliefs or practice alone. Katajjaq (a "genre" of music of some Inuit groups) is a game played by women, for entertainment. In some instances, natural sounds (mostly those of animals, e.g. geese) are imitated.

Luring animals

The kind of katajjaq mentioned above, which mimics the cry of geese, shows some similarities with the practice of the hunters to lure game.

Some Inuit used a tool (shaped like a claw) to scratch the ice of the frozen sea in order to attract seals.

See also

• Onomatopoeia
• Prehistoric music
• Vocal learning
• Pishing - imitation of bird sounds by birdwatchers

• Birket-Smith, Kaj (1969). A kultúra ösvényei. Általános etnológia (in Hungarian). Budapest: Gondolat. Translation of the original: Birket-Smith, Kaj (1965). The Paths of Culture. A General Ethnology. Madison • Milwaukee: The University of Wisconsin Press.
• Burch, Ernest S. (junior); Forman, Werner (1988). The Eskimos. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-2126-2.
• Deschênes, Bruno (2002). "Inuit Throat-Singing". Musical Traditions. The Magazine for Traditional Music Throughout the World.
• Diószegi, Vilmos (1960). Sámánok nyomában Szibéria földjén. Egy néprajzi kutatóút története. Terebess Ázsia E-Tár (in Hungarian). Budapest: Magvető Könyvkiadó. The book has been translated to English: Diószegi, Vilmos (1968). Tracing shamans in Siberia. The story of an ethnographical research expedition. Translated from Hungarian by Anita Rajkay Babó. Oosterhout: Anthropological Publications.
• Hoppál, Mihály (2005). Sámánok Eurázsiában (in Hungarian). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 963-05-8295-3. The title means “Shamans in Eurasia”, the book is published also in German, Estonian and Finnish. Site of publisher with short description on the book (in Hungarian).
• Hoppál, Mihály (2006). "Music of Shamanic Healing". In Gerhard Kilger (ed.). Macht Musik. Musik als Glück und Nutzen für das Leben. Köln: Wienand Verlag. ISBN 3-87909-865-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-12-17.
• Lintrop, Aarno. "The Clean Tent Rite". Studies in Siberian shamanism and religions of the Finno-Ugric peoples.
• Nattiez, Jean Jacques. "Inuit Games and Songs • Chants et Jeux des Inuit". Musiques & musiciens du monde • Musics & musicians of the world. Montreal: Research Group in Musical Semiotics, Faculty of Music, University of Montreal. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help). The songs are online available from the ethnopoetics website curated by Jerome Rothenberg.
• Somby, Ánde (1995). "Joik and the theory of knowledge". Archived from the original on 2008-03-25.
• Szomjas-Schiffert, György (1996). Lapp sámánok énekes hagyománya • Singing tradition of Lapp shamans (in Hungarian and English). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 963-05-6940-X.
• Voigt, Vilmos (1966). A varázsdob és a látó asszonyok. Lapp népmesék. Népek meséi (in Hungarian). Budapest: Európa Könyvkiadó. The title means: “The magic drum and the clairvoyant women. Sami folktales”, the series means: “Tales of folks”.

External links

• Hoppál, Mihály (2006). "Music of Shamanic Healing". In Gerhard Kilger (ed.). Macht Musik. Musik als Glück und Nutzen für das Leben. Köln: Wienand Verlag. ISBN 3-87909-865-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-12-17.
• "Pygmies of Southern Congo Imitating Forest Animals" (streamed video). Afrique Profonde. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
• Mamcheva, Natalia (2004). "Aspects of the Music of the Nivkhs". Pacific Rim Music Festival, Ancient Sakhalin in Music, Song and Dance. Ensemble XXI. Translated from Russian by Lygia O'Riordan.