The Relational Nature of Song in Musical Human-Animal Interactions in Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Traditional Territory, Yukon

Tamara Ranspot

doi:10.2993/0278-0771-39.3.478

The Relational Nature of Song in Musical Human-Animal Interactions in Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Traditional Territory, Yukon

Tamara Ranspot^* (Corresponding Author)

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper brings together emergent conversations in the disciplines of ethnobiology, anthropology, and ethnomusicology to examine the role of song in human-animal relationships in the context of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation in and around Dawson City, Yukon, Canada. Song has always been a critical tool in Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in human-animal interactions, as a powerful means of communicating with or about animals, who are understood to be non-human persons. This paper argues that the particular sentimental and communicative natures of song are mobilized as a means to promote, reinforce, and embody a certain set of relational values in the biocultural lifeways of Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in citizens. Recently Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in are turning to song as a means of negotiating the effects of global climate change, particularly as these critical relationships become more tenuous and unpredictable.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	478-491
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of ethnobotany
Volume	39
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-39.3.478
Publication status	Published - 19 Sept 2019

Bibliographical note

This paper is based upon research conducted with the support of grants from the ERC Arctic Domus project at the University of Aberdeen, the American Philosophical Society's Phillips Fund, and the Jacobs Research Funds, as well as an Elphinstone Scholarship from the University of Aberdeen. I am most indebted to my friends in the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in community and particularly to the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Heritage Department for their partnership and support in this research and for all they shared with me—Mahsi Cho!

Keywords

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
environmental change
human-animal interactions
relationality
song
Tr'ondek Hwech'in
DANCE

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

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title = "The Relational Nature of Song in Musical Human-Animal Interactions in Tr{\textquoteright}ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch{\textquoteright}in Traditional Territory, Yukon",

abstract = "This paper brings together emergent conversations in the disciplines of ethnobiology, anthropology, and ethnomusicology to examine the role of song in human-animal relationships in the context of the Tr'ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch'in First Nation in and around Dawson City, Yukon, Canada. Song has always been a critical tool in Tr'ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch'in human-animal interactions, as a powerful means of communicating with or about animals, who are understood to be non-human persons. This paper argues that the particular sentimental and communicative natures of song are mobilized as a means to promote, reinforce, and embody a certain set of relational values in the biocultural lifeways of Tr'ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch'in citizens. Recently Tr'ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch'in are turning to song as a means of negotiating the effects of global climate change, particularly as these critical relationships become more tenuous and unpredictable.",

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note = "This paper is based upon research conducted with the support of grants from the ERC Arctic Domus project at the University of Aberdeen, the American Philosophical Society's Phillips Fund, and the Jacobs Research Funds, as well as an Elphinstone Scholarship from the University of Aberdeen. I am most indebted to my friends in the Tr'ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch'in community and particularly to the Tr'ond{\"e}k Hw{\"e}ch'in Heritage Department for their partnership and support in this research and for all they shared with me—Mahsi Cho!",

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The Relational Nature of Song in Musical Human-Animal Interactions in Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Traditional Territory, Yukon

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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