Soul Songs
In the Ring of Fire
This will be short but I had to share.
I know little or nothing about Papua New Guinea or its people other than that it is located in the southwestern Pacific (encompassing the eastern half of New Guinea and its offshore islands). It is known both for its cultural diversity (more than 800 languages are spoken there) and incredible natural wonders. It is also part of the “Ring of Fire” which is known for its volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, tropical cyclones, flooding and coastal erosion. Can you imagine living with regular earthquakes and the knowledge that a volcano might start spewing molten rock and ash at any moment?
Below is a short clip of bushmen singing as they walk home from work through the Papua New Guinea forest that captivated me. There are two versions. The first is the original without background:
https://youtube.com/shorts/xlTJsNlqdGk?feature=shared
The second has a deep base note added by Jay Den (a TikTok musician) behind it. Both are stunning reminders of the beauty of the human voice.
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Which brings me to some questions.
When was the last time you sang spontaneously and why?
What would it be like if singing was part of work?
If you could sing at work, what music would you choose?
1. When was the last time you sang spontaneously and why?
I sang the National Anthem with the crowd this morning at this service.
In addition, to the ringing of the bells, a special United States flag that once flew over the World Trade Center will be hoisted to half-staff on the flagpole in front of Fire Station Five. On display in front of the station is a piece of steel from the World Trade Center. The city of New York has requested that the special flag be flown over the piece of steel at half-staff Sept. 11 each year. It has been done every year since the city received the flag in 2004.
What: Tolling of the Bells (Fallen Firefighter Tribute for 9/11)
When: 6:45 a.m., Monday, Sept. 11, 2023
Where: Fire Station Five, 1020 Hinson St
2. What would it be like if singing was part of work?
Singing at work, a secret delight,
Hidden 'neath the fluorescent light,
In cubicles and office halls,
Where monotony often enthralls.
A whispered tune, a hushed refrain,
A melody to ease the strain,
Behind a desk or at a machine,
A quiet escape from the routine.
In meetings long and emails vast,
A song can make the hours pass,
A subtle act, a covert art,
To keep the spirit from falling apart.
So sing we must, though softly so,
In the realm where paperwork flows,
A reserve of music, our souls unfurl,
A hidden symphony in the working world.
(Jena, you can read the poem from top to bottom and then from the last line back up to the top. A reverse poem just for your delightful question.)
3. If you could sing at work, what music would you choose?
I’d work as a backup singer and dancer for Lady Gaga.
Imagine singing and dancing to~
“Just Dance"
"Poker Face"
"Bad Romance"
"Born This Way"
"Telephone"
"The Edge of Glory"
"Applause"
"Shallow"
"Rain on Me"
"Million Reasons"
New Guinea, Jena! One of the wonders on this earth!