Teuila : an ethnography of Samoan music and identity

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of Samoa's annual Teuila festival in contributing to the development and maintenance of Samoan music, and discusses the function of music and the festival in the expression of Samoan cultural identity. It draws its theoretical and methodological framework from the field of ethnomusicology, and it is further informed by research discourses drawn from the fields of indigenous studies and tourism studies. Samoan music has been the subject of numerous studies over the course of the last century, but less research has considered the relationship between performance and identity in the context of contemporary culture. This thesis approaches the topic from an 'insider' perspective, drawing on the author's history of participation in Samoan music and experience as a person deeply involved in the development of Teuila itself. Following an introduction to the topic, this thesis provides a discussion of the key issues involved in 'insider' research, and the ways in which these have been approached in ethnomusicology and indigenous studies. It then discusses the role of fieldwork in research and outlines the research process undertaken for this thesis. This process involved literature surveys and ethnographic case study fieldwork at the 2008 Teuila festival. The thesis concludes with a comparison of prior and current research, and indicates the potential concludes with a comparison of prior and current research, and indicates the potential for music research to illuminate discussion of cultural identity.