Youth Music at Vishnu Mandir's Diwali Cultural Show
Machen Davis
Through my ethnographic participant observation and interviewing members
involved in Vishnu Mandir's Diwali Cultural show I have gained a valuable
perspective and appreciation for the rich, lively culture of the Indo-Caribbean
Hindu community in Minneapolis. I learned first hand how the Indo-Caribbean
youth acquire their music, how they compile different traits of Indian,
Guyanese, and American culture to create a unique identity that allows them
to relate to both their roots and their current environment in the States.
The photographs I took during my research captures the transmission of
choreography as Jessica and Trisha teach the teens the dance moves that they
have interpreted from popular Bollywood movies, as well as present the role
that Marlo had as a friendly authority during rehearsals. The interview
transcript takes you through the process that Brian, aka DJ Big B, goes through
when remixing tracks for the cultural show. And the sound clip is a sample of
the finished product of DJ Big B's remixing. All of these snippets provide a
valuable initial look on my ethnographic experience but only a small portrayal
of the vibrant community at Vishnu Mandir. My sincere thanks to Marlo, Jessica,
Trisha, Brian and all of the members at Vishnu Mandir for their warm generosity
and willingness to share their culture with me.
Downloadable Files
Download PDF Interview Excerpt
View Diwali Cultural Show Rehearsal Photos
The following sound clip is a mix of selected remixes that Brian, aka DJ
Big B produced for the dances of Vishnu Mandir's Diwali Cultural Show. The
first track is from the group dance, the second is the girlŐs dance, and the
last track is from the kids dance.
Download MP3 Sound Clip
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