The Role Of Music In The Aymara And Prespare Albanian Culture?

In many countries and communities around the world, music plays a vital role in cultural identity. Traditions and beliefs are passed down not only through the music itself, but also the act of making and engaging in music, much like the behavior section of the Merriam Tripartite Model. Though it may not be a perfect model of the beliefs and behaviors of the times, music continues to have a dialectical relationship with communities, granting outsiders some insight to important features of the people. These can range from their history to their ideal values, teaching others and impressing upon them (both consciously and not) the ideas they deem to be most valuable. Music is a critical cornerstone in both the Aymara and Prespare Albanian cultures,

The distinct separation between gender roles can be very apparent in a culture’s music. Although the Ayllu establish an egalitarian social structure that is reflected in their collective music style, divisions between the genders are still present. For instance, women do not play any instruments, but rather dance. Additionally, the older Prespare Albanian music during Muabbets is a strong example of this difference, as it was encouraged for the community members to strictly follow tradition. Muabbets are the social part of a typical Presparian wedding, where the two family come together to bond with one another through the act of singing. Given that weddings are very ritualistic in many other communities, it is no surprise that the Muabbet followed specific traditions such as separating singing groups by family and gender or emphasizing gender metaphors in each song. Presparian communities have three typical styles of music during weddings: Shtruar, Larter, and Kenge te Lartera. While women are restricted to singing either Shtruar or Larter (mostly Shtruar), men are allowed to sing all three types. During weddings, men are free to express themselves and sing about any topic such as heroism or bravery. On the other hand, women are expected to be in much more control and sing only of topics related to love or weddings. Music can be a reflection of the times, and in this case, it clearly encompassed the gender