Bones and Banjo: Confronting Cultural Appropriation | Kafari + Jake Hoffman | TEDxDirigo

thank you

thank you [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] so these are the rhythm bones they are

so these are the rhythm bones they are

so these are the rhythm bones they are individual curved pieces of bone or in

individual curved pieces of bone or in

individual curved pieces of bone or in my case wood and these bones are made of

my case wood and these bones are made of

my case wood and these bones are made of Rosewood and they are considered to be

Rosewood and they are considered to be

Rosewood and they are considered to be one of the oldest instruments in the

one of the oldest instruments in the

one of the oldest instruments in the world and they’ve been found all over

world and they’ve been found all over

world and they’ve been found all over the world from ancient Egypt they were

the world from ancient Egypt they were

the world from ancient Egypt they were called clappers greece they were popular

called clappers greece they were popular

called clappers greece they were popular in the Roman Empire India and Ireland

in the Roman Empire India and Ireland

in the Roman Empire India and Ireland which is how they made it to America and

which is how they made it to America and

which is how they made it to America and my journey as a bluegrass rhythm bones

my journey as a bluegrass rhythm bones

my journey as a bluegrass rhythm bones player I’ve been told many times in many

player I’ve been told many times in many

player I’ve been told many times in many different ways that I don’t belong I’ve

different ways that I don’t belong I’ve

different ways that I don’t belong I’ve been told that old-time music and

been told that old-time music and

been told that old-time music and bluegrass music have nothing to do with

bluegrass music have nothing to do with

bluegrass music have nothing to do with the black people when in reality

the black people when in reality

the black people when in reality blackness is in the essence of this

blackness is in the essence of this

blackness is in the essence of this music the bones became well known in

music the bones became well known in

music the bones became well known in America in the mid 1800s through the

America in the mid 1800s through the

America in the mid 1800s through the blackface minstrel show which was a

blackface minstrel show which was a

blackface minstrel show which was a massively popular form of entertainment

massively popular form of entertainment

massively popular form of entertainment it was comparable to what going to the

it was comparable to what going to the

it was comparable to what going to the movies is like for us the blackface

movies is like for us the blackface

movies is like for us the blackface minstrel show it appropriated in

minstrel show it appropriated in

minstrel show it appropriated in caricatured black music dance culture

caricatured black music dance culture

caricatured black music dance culture and speech and the bones were one of the

and speech and the bones were one of the

and speech and the bones were one of the featured instruments of blackface

featured instruments of blackface

featured instruments of blackface minstrel see along with the banjo the

minstrel see along with the banjo the

minstrel see along with the banjo the fiddle and the tambourine white

fiddle and the tambourine white

fiddle and the tambourine white entertainers would cover their faces in

entertainers would cover their faces in

entertainers would cover their faces in black paint and perform incredibly

black paint and perform incredibly

black paint and perform incredibly dehumanizing stereotypes of southern

dehumanizing stereotypes of southern

dehumanizing stereotypes of southern black slaves and northern ex-slaves

black slaves and northern ex-slaves

black slaves and northern ex-slaves and mistress Lee really confirmed and

and mistress Lee really confirmed and

and mistress Lee really confirmed and reinforced white people’s ideas about

reinforced white people’s ideas about

reinforced white people’s ideas about the inferior nature of black folks so

the inferior nature of black folks so

the inferior nature of black folks so and it began a long tradition of black

and it began a long tradition of black

and it began a long tradition of black music being appropriated for popular

music being appropriated for popular

music being appropriated for popular audiences so when I think on these

audiences so when I think on these

audiences so when I think on these things I can’t help but ask what it

things I can’t help but ask what it

things I can’t help but ask what it means to be a bones player in this day

means to be a bones player in this day

means to be a bones player in this day and age given this violent history

and age given this violent history

and age given this violent history attached to it and I can’t help but ask

attached to it and I can’t help but ask

attached to it and I can’t help but ask what it means to be a black bones

what it means to be a black bones

what it means to be a black bones they’re a process of healing

they’re a process of healing

they’re a process of healing decolonizing and reclaiming is necessary

decolonizing and reclaiming is necessary

decolonizing and reclaiming is necessary in order for us to move forward so I

in order for us to move forward so I

in order for us to move forward so I first want to celebrate the many black

first want to celebrate the many black

first want to celebrate the many black folks who are performing in bluegrass

folks who are performing in bluegrass

folks who are performing in bluegrass today who are killing it and who and

today who are killing it and who and

today who are killing it and who and there are many there more than you may

there are many there more than you may

there are many there more than you may think

think

think who are doing this work of reclaiming

who are doing this work of reclaiming

who are doing this work of reclaiming the space for black people

the space for black people

the space for black people and I want to give thanks to the

and I want to give thanks to the

and I want to give thanks to the countless black entertainers who

countless black entertainers who

countless black entertainers who sacrificed and paved the way to a point

sacrificed and paved the way to a point

sacrificed and paved the way to a point in history where I can be on this stage

in history where I can be on this stage

in history where I can be on this stage and not have to perform a stereotype and

and not have to perform a stereotype and

and not have to perform a stereotype and not have to cater to anyone else’s idea

not have to cater to anyone else’s idea

not have to cater to anyone else’s idea of what blackness means so yes

so y’all are probably wondering who the

so y’all are probably wondering who the see the sport on when I went to invite

see the sport on when I went to invite

see the sport on when I went to invite my dear friend and collaborator jake

my dear friend and collaborator jake

my dear friend and collaborator jake hoffman out and we’re gonna tell y’all a

hoffman out and we’re gonna tell y’all a

hoffman out and we’re gonna tell y’all a few tunes with bones and banjo together

few tunes with bones and banjo together

few tunes with bones and banjo together [Applause]

thank you very much that was our

thank you very much that was our interpretation of a piece called the

interpretation of a piece called the

interpretation of a piece called the patroller song and that was a tune that

patroller song and that was a tune that

patroller song and that was a tune that was present in gatherings and dances of

was present in gatherings and dances of

was present in gatherings and dances of black people in the South in the time

black people in the South in the time

black people in the South in the time before the Civil War and it still played

before the Civil War and it still played

before the Civil War and it still played in the old-time music community today

in the old-time music community today

in the old-time music community today this instrument the banjo was created by

this instrument the banjo was created by

this instrument the banjo was created by artists and craftspeople who were

artists and craftspeople who were

artists and craftspeople who were enslaved in the southern United States

enslaved in the southern United States

enslaved in the southern United States and the Caribbean islands it came from

and the Caribbean islands it came from

and the Caribbean islands it came from direct memories and cultural memory of

direct memories and cultural memory of

direct memories and cultural memory of African lutes and harps with strings

African lutes and harps with strings

African lutes and harps with strings resonating over a stretched hide but I

resonating over a stretched hide but I

resonating over a stretched hide but I came to know this instrument through

came to know this instrument through

came to know this instrument through white culture through predominantly

white culture through predominantly

white culture through predominantly white musics like hillbilly and country

white musics like hillbilly and country

white musics like hillbilly and country music as Kafar I mentioned the banjo was

music as Kafar I mentioned the banjo was

music as Kafar I mentioned the banjo was a played a critical role in the

a played a critical role in the

a played a critical role in the blackface minstrel show and it became a

blackface minstrel show and it became a

blackface minstrel show and it became a symbol and also a direct communicator of

symbol and also a direct communicator of

symbol and also a direct communicator of white supremacist culture minstrel see

white supremacist culture minstrel see

white supremacist culture minstrel see get this minstrel see was the most

get this minstrel see was the most

get this minstrel see was the most popular form of entertainment in the

popular form of entertainment in the

popular form of entertainment in the nineteenth century

nineteenth century

nineteenth century so this ripped the banjo out of black

so this ripped the banjo out of black

so this ripped the banjo out of black history and appropriated it so deeply

history and appropriated it so deeply

history and appropriated it so deeply into white culture that by the time that

into white culture that by the time that

into white culture that by the time that I came across it I thought of it as the

I came across it I thought of it as the

I came across it I thought of it as the preeminent symbol of rural whiteness and

preeminent symbol of rural whiteness and

preeminent symbol of rural whiteness and the tool for the white underdog to

the tool for the white underdog to

the tool for the white underdog to express his feelings in song and that’s

express his feelings in song and that’s

express his feelings in song and that’s why I felt comfortable first embracing

why I felt comfortable first embracing

why I felt comfortable first embracing it learning a greater history of the

it learning a greater history of the

it learning a greater history of the banjo has been depressing and

banjo has been depressing and

banjo has been depressing and infuriating and thinking about how I fit

infuriating and thinking about how I fit

infuriating and thinking about how I fit into this modern world as a banjo S is

into this modern world as a banjo S is

into this modern world as a banjo S is confusing and uncomfortable because it

confusing and uncomfortable because it

confusing and uncomfortable because it makes me think of all the ways that I’ve

makes me think of all the ways that I’ve

makes me think of all the ways that I’ve been I’ve condoned the erasure of black

been I’ve condoned the erasure of black

been I’ve condoned the erasure of black history and black art

and you know before we get into this

and you know before we get into this last song it’s it’s crazy that we are

last song it’s it’s crazy that we are

last song it’s it’s crazy that we are able black people are able to listen to

able black people are able to listen to

able black people are able to listen to all-time music and bluegrass music and

all-time music and bluegrass music and

all-time music and bluegrass music and not hear the music of our ancestors and

not hear the music of our ancestors and

not hear the music of our ancestors and that’s because of cultural appropriation

that’s because of cultural appropriation

that’s because of cultural appropriation which is something that is still

which is something that is still

which is something that is still happening it’s real and alive and we

happening it’s real and alive and we

happening it’s real and alive and we need to inquire into our traditions to

need to inquire into our traditions to

need to inquire into our traditions to ask if they’re inclusive and if they’re

ask if they’re inclusive and if they’re

ask if they’re inclusive and if they’re people being sacrificed this next song

people being sacrificed this next song

people being sacrificed this next song is called last child and it’s it’s more

is called last child and it’s it’s more

is called last child and it’s it’s more of a fiddle tune and it was first

of a fiddle tune and it was first

of a fiddle tune and it was first recording the 1920s by the stripling

recording the 1920s by the stripling

recording the 1920s by the stripling Brothers a white string band from

Brothers a white string band from

Brothers a white string band from Alabama

[Music]

[Music] thank you