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You Hsieh Chen

MUSC-1040-2

25 March 2017

The Liberia Culture and America Culture

Background of interviewee

One of my classmates from America Music class, Varney, is from West Africa. He was

born in Liberia, and moved to the United States when he was a child. He came to the United

States a as a green card holder and permanent resident. He came to United States because he

wants to get a higher education diploma, as high as possible. Regarding his family, he only has

one relative on his mother who lives in Philadelphia. His other family all lives in Africa. His

religious background is Muslim.

About Liberia

The full name of his country is The Republic of Liberia, located in West Africa. In

1847, Liberia became an independent country, making it the earliest country that became

independent in Africa. In the beginning of the nineteenth century, some of the American slaves

from Africa returned to Liberia by organizing, so the name of Liberia has a sense of liberty

and liberated.

There are four different religion types in West Africa. The first is Christian, the oldest

religion in Africa. Second is Catholicism. Third is Islam, which entered West Africa in the

seventh century form North Africa. The last type are the original beliefs. Moreover, Christianity

and Islam are the two biggest religions in West Africa.

There is a special religion called original beliefs, also called Natural beliefs. These

original beliefs are the earliest form of religion that appeared in human history. After the Western
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colonial movement, the remnants of many modern tribes had been eliminated. After the original

state of religion contacted the civil society, there have been many deformations. Nowadays, only

some of the indigenous religions still survived. The indigenous religion is manifested as the

worship and respect of nature.

Muslim Culture

Muslims have four different history periods. First period is The Period of Creation,

from the beginning of the seventh century to 632AD, Muhammad founded Islam in the Arabian

Peninsula, united the Arabian Peninsula, and established a political and religious unity of the

Arab Empire. In 632AD, Muhammad in Medina did an admonition. Soon after, he died on June

8th in a Medina residence at 63 years old.

The second period is called Four Caliph Governs. Muslim communes through election

and recommendation produced the initial Four Caliph governs. During the four caliph governs,

they compiled the Quran and the Sunnah and formulated the norms of law and morality based

on these. The purpose of the law is to strengthen the political and religious unity in the state, but

also to settle the rebellion and consolidate the rule of the empire. In 661, because the third major

civil war, the Islamic society split into Sunnis and Shiites.

The third period is called Dynasty Period. This period is divided into three different

dynasties. The first one is Umayyad Dynasty. The Umayyad dynasty was committed to

expanding the territory. The Umayyad dynasty became the Arab Empire to cross over Europe,

Asia, and Africa. The second is Abbasid dynasty. The Abbasid dynasty was the second

hereditary dynasty of the Arab Empire and also the golden age of the Arab Empire. The Caliphs

carry out the hereditary system, pursuing the Sunni as the state religion, and advocating
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academic freedom. The third period is called the Ottoman Dynasty. This dynasty allowed

subjects to have different religious beliefs. In 1924, the Caliphate system was abolished.

Fourth period is referred to as After Abolishment of the Caliph System. In 1924, the

Turkish National Congress adopted a resolution to abolish the caliphate system and declared that

the Ottoman royal family would be deported. Since then, Islam has entered the era of non-

caliphate.

There are five features in the culture of the Islamic religion that is the obligation for all

the Muslims. Testifying is when you read all things without god and only god and do the

gestures with your right hand which symbols you recognize the lord is only. Praying requires you

to pray five times a week, and every time you pray, you have to face Mecca. Taxation requires

that if your income is capable, you have to dedicate a part of your money to those who are poor.

Fasting asks the Muslims to not eat and drink from dawn until evening during the Ramadan

month. Pilgrim refers to any physically sound Muslims must go to Mecca once in your life.

Music in Africa

African music mainly refers to the local Black African music. In the sub-Sahara desert,

music belongs to the Arab music system. South Africas music is mainly affected by the

European culture, belonging to the Western music system. The rhythm of African music has a

very special importance, is the most complex rhythm in the world, usually for the improvisation

of the rhythm. In African music, the drum is the most used musical instruments, not only as a

dance accompaniment, but even as a language and information conveying tools. The African

drum influenced their music system and style.

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In Africa, vocal music is the most commonly used in duet, with usually one person

singing the main rhythm and other people sing in harmony, short phrases, repeated, and usually

singing and dancing at the same time. The scale has a seven, sometimes five, scale.

African drums use a variety of forms and materials such as sheepskin, deerskin, lizard

skin, ear skin of elephants, and other materials which can issue a variety of different pitches. In

addition, there is Marin Ball. Thumb Piano, horns, flutes, and rows made with beads or

ivory.

Vareys favorite type of music is Reggae. Reggae features strong beats that are on the

second and fourth beats and use the drum to stress the third beat to create a unique feeling. The

origin of the name of Reggae is from Jamaica, a street name.

Reggae used some elements of R&B, jazz, mantra music, African music, and Latin

American music. The rhythm of Reggae is generally slower than slow rock. The features are

slower rhythm, guitar or pianos weak beat, emphasizing the third beat, these features make

Reggae different the other music.

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Bibliography

1. Africa music influence America music

https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9B%BD%E6%B5%81%E8%A1%8C
%E9%9F%B3%E4%B9%90

2. America music
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%8E%E5%9B%BD%E9%9F%B3%E4%B9%90

3. About Liberia
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%88%A9%E6%AF%94%E9%87%8C%E4%BA%9A

4. Religion in West Africa

http://religion.moi.gov.tw/Knowledge/Content?ci=2&cid=365

5. Origin belief
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8E%9F%E5%A7%8B%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99

6. Islam
https://kknews.cc/history/gvo4vx9.html

7. Islam feature
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BC%8A%E6%96%AF%E5%85%B0%E6%95%99

8. Africa music
http://www2.ouk.edu.tw/yen/Chinese/World%20Music/week2.htm

9. Africa music
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9D%9E%E6%B4%B2%E9%9F%B3%E4%B9%90

10. Reggae
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9B%B7%E9%AC%BC%E9%9F%B3%E6%A8%82
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11. Liberia music

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Liberia