2018 Student Research Conference:
31st Annual Student Research Conference

Kokopelli: Finding Native America in Western Practice


Cristin G. Selle
Dr. Julianna Moore and Dr. Marc Rice, Faculty Mentors

Historically Native Americans have been misrepresented within Western music, creating musical stereotypes of Native Americans and their cultures. Drawing from my study of Kokopeli by Katherine Hoover and further investigation into the Native American cultures of the American Southwest, I will discuss common practices in the representation of Native Americans within Western music. I will argue that, unlike her predecessors, Katherine Hoover reaches a true junction between Native American tradition and Western musical practice, combining modern compositional and performance techniques with Hopi source materials to create an authentic representation of Kokopelli that reflects the deep spirituality of both music and oral storytelling in Native American traditions. 

Keywords: Native American, Kokopelli, Kokopeli, Flute, Music

Topic(s):Music

Presentation Type: Oral Paper

Session: 215-4
Location: OP 2210
Time: 1:45

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