Music of Melanesia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Melanesian music |
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Maluku |
New Caledonia |
Papua |
Papua New Guinea |
Solomon Islands |
Torres Strait |
Vanuatu |
West Irian Jaya |
Our earliest knowledge of Melanesian music comes largely from German musicological studies done in the Caroline Islands of nearby Micronesia (not Melanesia), with only a few studies done since then. Vocal music is very common across Melanesia, as are sitting dances. Hand gestures are an important part of many songs, and most traditional music is dance music.
Folk instruments included many kinds of drums, flutes, pipes and slit-log gongs. European guitars and ukuleles are also used.