Solomon Islands: Cry of the Ancestors (Arc Music EUCD 2147, 2008)
The Narasirato Pan Pipers is a group of Are’are musicians from the Maniharu, Sura lamarore, Uwo and Hurasina tribes in Malaita Island in the Solomon Islands. The musical pieces on the album are original compositions by members of the ensemble. The pieces range from melodic and festive to trance-like.
Since The Narasirato Pan Pipers was created in 1990 the group has built a reputation as an outstanding live act. The musicians live in a remote area. Surrounded by virgin rainforest and idyllic lagoons, the Are’are village is only reachable by canoe or by a 2-day walk overland.
The most common instrument in the island is the panpipe, which comes in various forms and sizes. The CD booklet provides details about the various types of flutes and how they are used in either ensemble form or solo. The musicians also use a variety of percussion instruments and a mouth bow.
The musical instruments were traditionally used for communication, calling for meetings, the opening of celebrations, sending messages to the deceased, calling on the rain, and announcing the harvest season.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
