Skip to main content

Solomon Islands: Fataleka and Baegu Music from Malaita

Various Artists
Solomon Islands: Fataleka and Baegu Music from Malaita Malaita, the most densely populated of the Solomon Islands, is located about 1,200 miles off the northeast coast of Australia. The island is home to the Fataleka and Baegu peoples, whose music is influenced by the traditional religious beliefs that were practiced before their conversion to Christianity in the 19th century.

This album showcases the varied contexts in which these groups use the ubiquitous bamboo bundle panpipe (susuku). The songs of the maome (funeral rituals) weave together panpipes with clapping sticks and a choir singing with closed mouths in polyphonic harmonies. In other ceremonial songs, dancers become musicians with rattles on their ankles, stomping the ground to create a striking beat. Women play a prominent role on the album singing and playing a two-string bamboo bow. In 1992, French electronica duo Deep Forest heavily sampled “Rorogwela” (track 8) in their hit song “Sweet Lullaby.”

Track Listing

icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
101
Divinatory Songs: Uunu (1) n/a 03:26
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
102
Divinatory Songs: Uunu (2) n/a 02:51
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
103
Susuku Solo Aeresuuga 00:47
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
104
Roiroa (Women's Song) n/a 02:36
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
105
Faa Ta Gwouna Au Sisile Panpipe Ensemble 01:52
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
106
Faa Gani ‘Ae Boso Au Sisile Panpipe Ensemble 01:25
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
107
‘Au Sango Au Sango Papipe Ensemble 09:16
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
108
Rorogwela (Lullaby) Afunakwa 01:44
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
109
Sukute Solo Rokona 00:55
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
110
Sukwadi Solo Rokona 01:02
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
111
Kwadili Solo Rokona 00:42
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
112
‘Ai Ni Mae (Men's Narrative Song) n/a 03:24
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
113
Mae ‘Au (Introducing Song) n/a 01:43
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
114
Safali ‘Au Au 'Ero Panpipe Ensemble 01:59
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
115
‘Ae ‘Au (1) Au 'Ero Panpipe Ensemble 01:21
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
116
Susulae Au 'Ero Panpipe Ensemble 04:24
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
117
‘Ae ‘Au (2) Au 'Ero Panpipe Ensemble 02:14
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
118
Fafane Au 'Ero Panpipe Ensemble 03:08