Praise The Lord With A Samoan Hymn Book

By Karen Barnes


There are many traditional instruments that can be used to make a more cultural and full experience. One of the popular instruments often accompanies the music in a Samoan hymn book is called the fala. This is one that looks like a rolled up mat which the player beats with sticks in order to make beautiful music.

If you have in your possession or know somebody who has a soundingboard, you might see if that can be used in your choral arrangement. This is a musical instrument that a lot of people use to accompany particularly people who are reciting poetry as a solo. This can add a lot to the feel of what is being read.

If you are looking for something to make a grand announcement, you might want to look into getting a conch shell. These have been used for thousands of years as sacred and holy instruments for these people in their culture. Although a lot of people are familiar with this shell, they might not realize its potential as an instrument in this environment.

If you are on a budget looking for instruments to accompany you, you might consider getting a few of the smaller ones because you can get a lot of bang for your buck considering how much having these little things adds. Adding a lot of cultural feel while remaining inexpensive, there is a lot of value there. You might try the panpipe, nose flute, or jaw harp.

Whenever you are singing in a choral group, it is sometimes hard to get a feel for the rhythm of the music. That is where the drums come in. They are not used a lot, and the pate is a good slit drum pick for those who are looking for this type of addition to their arrangement.

Though it is not one of the most popular picks nowadays, the fala is a type of drum that can be used in this type of ensemble. It follows the same rhythms as the more modern drums do. If you do not have a pate, this is still a viable option for you.

With how much the hymns that come out of Samoa has come along, it is hard to even think back to a time when they didn't exist. Christian missionaries came to Samoa in the 1830s to spread the word of God. They also brought with them their musical influences and over all that time it has been growing and developing in their culture.

One of the big changes that occurred in the many decades that followed Christianity being brought to these islands was that many of the traditional instruments became neglected. This was because people started to favor singing in choirs instead. Nowadays, you can have the best of both worlds by adding a little bit of cultural percussion to any choral arrangement.




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