Indigenizing Navajo Hymns - In Depth Notes

Indigenization of Navajo Hymns

• Context of Elizabeth Bryant and Virginia Graymountain
  • The fame of Elizabeth Bryant and Virginia Graymountain's hymn-singing duo reflects a shift in the Navajo musical landscape.
  • In 2003, they experienced a surge in popularity, evidenced by demand through radio stations and their presence within the community.
  • Their music, although enjoyed, is an anomaly within the predominately African-American-inspired praise music of Navajo-led tent revivals.

The Concept of Indigenization

• Definition and Importance
  • Indigenization allows local communities to create a socio-spiritual experience by integrating cultural characteristics into Christian theology (Sherinian, 2005).
  • The process is often complicated by power dynamics between cultures.
  • Local populations may fully assimilate Christianity, making it no longer appear as foreign.
• Musical Indigenization
  • Ethnomusicologists study the integration of Christianity through the lens of musical styles and aesthetics (Scruggs, 2005).
  • Elizabeth and Virginia's success stems more from changes in performance practices rather than changes in musical style.

Unique Performance Practices

• Elizabeth and Virginia's music symbolizes a shift from traditional congregational hymn singing to a performance enjoyed passively by audiences.
• Hymns intended for communal worship have become an avenue for personal enjoyment, transforming their associated meanings (e.g., from rational modernity to anointing power).
• Contrast with Historical Hymnody
  • Originally, hymns aimed to convey Protestant doctrine, while Elizabeth and Virginia's performances emphasize spiritual experiences and healing.

Historical Background

• The introduction of hymns into Navajo culture was initially a part of an assimilation project by Protestant missionaries.
• Throughout the 20th century, the rise of neo-Pentecostalism brought new practices that moved away from hymnal traditions toward more expressive forms of worship.

The Role of the Piano in Worship

• Pianos in missionary contexts symbolize Western modernity and control and were not often found in traditional Navajo homes, limiting their musical practices.
• Elizabeth and Virginia use the piano to retain connections to historical mission churches while presenting hymns within a contemporary context.

The Oodlání Movement

• Overview
  • The Oodlání movement, emerging post-1950, signifies a shift to independent, charismatic, and often anti-rational forms of worship among Navajo Christians.
  • Focused on mobile worship experiences (e.g., tent revivals), this movement enhances local control over religious practices.
• Impact on Elizabeth and Virginia
  • Their performances at revivals adapt traditional hymns into a format that supports the revival aesthetic, allowing for a dynamic exchange between performers and audiences.

Musicianship and Aesthetics

• Elizabeth and Virginia blend disparate musical backgrounds:
  • Elizabeth has informal training and experiences rooted in the neo-Pentecostal movement.
  • Virginia has formal training from Anglo-run denominational contexts, contributing arrangement and harmonization skills.

Performance Dynamics

• Elizabeth's charismatic stage presence and improvisational skills enhance audience engagement, while Virginia focuses on harmonic support and musical structuring.
• Their approach to rehearsal and song adaptation reflects a fusion of traditional and contemporary musical practices, allowing hymns to resonate with new generations.

Conclusion on Indigenization Practices

• Elizabeth and Virginia's version of hymn singing illustrates a successful indigenization process not reliant on aesthetic or stylistic changes but on the adaptation of performance dynamics.

• This demonstrates how local forms of practice can retain foundational elements of earlier traditions while evolving to meet the spiritual needs of contemporary Navajo Christians.

• Overall Significance

  • Their music offers insights into the complexities of cultural fusion within a specific socio-spiritual context, exemplifying how musical practices can be transformed through performance alone, maintaining connections to history while adapting to modern expressions.