>>>>In your part of the world, you are probably not as "blessed" as
we are here in the Southeastern USA with that modern phenomenon: The
Redneck!!<<<<
Ed, we've got rednecks alright, they're just ever so slightly
different in their predjudices because of the regional differences. I
live in Queensland, a larger state of Australia, which occupies very
roughly a fifth of Aus in the north-east corner. The capital,
Brisbane, sits very close to the border in the extreme south-east of
the state, and the further west and north you go from here, the more
similarly "redneck" the attitudes. It's like the closer you get to
the equator the more insular, parochial and hateful some humans get.
I have wondered for years why Hollywood insists on portraying the
Southern USA the way it does, ie a total joke for the most part, when
surely in this day and age NOBODY is that dumb or racist. I further
wondered why the South didn't do something to redress the balance. To
read your post I get the impression that some films aren't as way off
as I'd first thought. Certainly any television documentaries about
that part of the world only concentrate on the extremes. (Truly
terrifying.) Thank goodness the National Geographic is a bit more
even handed in it's approach, or I might be totally predjudiced
against the South as much as I am for the rest of Queensland.
At least in our little metropolitan corner we have an Opera Company,
several first rate orchestras, our own Ballet company and Theatre
company, a Conservatorium which used to be considered one of the best
in the country (I'm not sure how true this is anymore) which included
a singing school with an enviable reputation and record of success.
The city AND its attitudes has changed and grown and blossomed,
largely due to the influx of people from the South coming to live
here (I myself am an "expatriot" from Sydney) and two international
invents held here during the eighties along with the end of a
peculiar extreme right wing political regime. It all really pushed
forward the regions development and total transformation.
Despite all this it still feels like I live in a cultural desert
sometimes. Australia is a country that equates real culture with
sport and nothing else. So any public or government support and
monies, in any direction outside of the south east corner of the
country where Sydney and Melbourne are, for anything other than
sport, is always a bloody and hard fought battle, which is more often
than not lost by the Arts.
We have plenty of curches here in the north, but people don't sing
all that much, and the choir/music culture in churches you have in
the US just doesn't exist here, it's a totally foreign concept with
the exception of perhaps the mormons. Singing is not embraced as a
fundamental part of expressing yourself as it is in so many other
cultures. There is a prevailing attitude that singing is only
something that sissies and women do. The thinking goes: anyone can
sing anyway so why pay for it, either by lessons or to see someone
else do it? If a boy sings after his voice breaks then he must be
gay. But it's OK for males to be in Rock bands and scream into a
microphone at the top of his lungs, just as long as it doesn't sound
anything like singing which is the rule and not the exception. As for
females, well who cares what they do anyway?
Despite this we do have a thriving and vibrant cultural scene at
times, but it's not the mainstream, it's mostly amateur, and it's
pretty hard to find sometimes and suffers from a lack of variety and
an eye or ear to the outside world and can be a little stop and
start. Some of the practitioners can be a little too caught up in
their own egos and opinions to be enjoyed. We are a lot more relaxed
about "dress code" at the opera though, (or ballet or orchestra etc)
to wit, there is none. You're free to dress up to the nines, or come
along in jeans and sneakers, nobody's going to make anything of it.
I do feel we are a little like you describe though, >>>>The musician,
thru necessity, builds up a protective armour. In privacy, we listen
to Kathleen Battle and Simon Estes. <<<< And in public we most
definitely keep our mouth shut till we know for sure and certain we
are in like company.
Many people equate our aboriginals with your African Americans
because they both have dark skin. The truth is, the plight of our
aboriginals equate closer to that of the indiginous peoples of
America, that is the native Indians, as well as copping the same sort
of "colour of their skin" racism as well. For the most part, people
here are comfortable just as long they are not seen nor heard. If
they excel at anything then a big song and dance is made about it but
back at street level the same hateful, racist cruelty and prejudices
towards them exists. We may have become a little better as a society
but there's a long way to go yet. So there aren't the same problems
with them finding recognition or acceptance as singers or performing
artists here, because as of yet, they just don't get there. You'd be
hard pressed to find them on any University campus despite generous
incentives and encouragement. It's difficult enough for them to
finish High School. Tragic, really tragic.
As wrong and desperate as it is, I actually look forward to the time
that I could face down a parish for their ignorance and attitude
>>>>>We begin to live very dangerously when we hire wonderful black
section leaders for our church choirs. .... but we'd be tarred and
feathered if we put these tones before our church choirs. <<<<<
because at least the fight would be on it's way. We're SO far behind
I doubt I'll see this in my lifetime though.
It puts me in mind of a "joke" which you've probably heard in which
it is said >>> "Hell, I'm not <insert hate here, eg, racist, sexist,
agist, misognyist etc> I hate everybody EQUALLY!" <<< It's too true
of too many people outside of our cities (and our twenty-something
males)to be even remotely amusing. For now, the best any of us can do
is just be ourselves and hope to quietly influence the attitudes of
the ignorant around us by example.
Here in the city, for the most part, we probably have the acceptance
and desire for the arts but not the pressure of population to justify
the dollars we'd like, outside of here there is quite often neither
acceptance or funding. Having said that though, I think we are worlds
apart. I'm not at all sure how I'd go swapping with you. I don't know
how you cope with it somedays. Let your flame burn bright Ed. Never
let the Turkeys get you down.
All the best,
Michelle
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