Fanø meets the world - EthnoDenmark 2010
By Noa Shamir
The big room is quiet, but through the walls the sound of a 3/2 hornpipe - played by at least 5 different nationalities - becomes clear, while brains of those at another corner of the school are struggling with getting used to the Indian sense of rhythm that lies far from that of the European.
Ethno Denmark is well and truly underway at Nordby Skole and music seeps out from every corner of the building. Participants from 8 different countries, 3 different continents, are gathered to play and learn about folk music, cultures, traditions and each other. Eli from Belgium has attended 8 different Ethnos: “Every Ethno is different and every Ethno is the best. You feel that this Ethno is well planned and even though it is the first time there is an Ethno in Denmark it has already got its own soul”.
The Ethno Denmark committee was formed in January 2010 consisting of Christian & Mia from FMS (Danish organization, folkemusikhusringen), Pia & Frederik from Musik & Ungdom (Danish department of Jeunesses Musicales International) and Kristine & Noa, not associated with any organizations. Hard work made Ethno Denmark 2010 possible only half a year after the project started. To choose Fanø from other, possibly more convenient, locations came from the idea of wanting to show the participants an interesting part of Denmark. Not only are the landscape, houses and people interesting on the island, there is a living tradition of folk music and dance among the natives. Hartwin from Belgium noticed the strong tradition: “It is obvious to anyone how the folk music in Denmark or England has a very clear definition and style, whereas the music from the Flemish part of Belgium is a lot less defined. It can be very challenging to play music from a country like India where not only their style but anything from feeling to rhythm is completely different to Belgium”.
The cross over of traditions, cultures and the musical identities is one of the main ingredients during an Ethno. Hartwin, an accordionist, continues: “Even if some of these people play completely different than me, it does not mean that I can’t play with them and have a good experience. Who says that an Indian sarod (19 stringed instrument) player can’t play a Danish polka with me and a percussionist from Uganda?”.
Ethno was held for the first time in Denmark this year but it is definitely not the first time an Ethno has taken place. The first Ethno took place in Sweden 21 years ago. Since then more and more Ethnos have made their way to young folk musicians, and each time an Ethno is held for the first time, something new is created. Maria from Denmark is at her first Ethno but she has attended the Danish ROD (a similar event to Ethno but with mainly Danish participants). As opposed to ROD, nothing here at Ethno is typical “neither when we eat, when we have storspil (orchestra), which tunes we are jamming and how we dance. It is great to be part of the creative process and learn a lot of new music!”
It is time for dinner and the room is suddenly filled with a bunch of singing and playing young people who are ready to eat. Tonight’s program is the dance evening where each country has to teach the rest of the group a dance from their country, something everyone is looking forward to. It would be stupid not to expect the party to go on till sunlight with polkas, hornpipes, jigs, waltzes, djembes, singing and dancing…
