Traditional African Music Essays -- Musical Traditions Essays Papers

Traditional African Music An attempt to pin down a single meaning for the word 'traditional,' presents a problem in many ways. The implications of the word are many, and are tied to various connotations. Some people, Westerners in particular, may actually shun the 'traditional,' as they feel that it implies a resistance to modernity. This view is incorrect, and there exists an ethnocentric double standard when Westerners consider their tradition versus African tradition. Others focus on 'tradition' as that which has always been done, for whatever reason, and that it must be continued to maintain the community, a universal balance, a relationship with the gods, or some other goal. Africa and its people have experienced many hardships over the course of history, from colonization to current attempts at development. Oppression, forced enslavement or other forms of brutality have been constant threats. These dangers have helped create a stronger African identity in many senses. Difficult times bring out in human s a desire to cling to that which is known and familiar, as everything else seems to spiral out of control. As many slaves journeyed across the Middle Passage, for example, they disregarded language and ethnic barriers, and collaborated to make music as an escape from the horrors of their circumstances, in order to create a tie to the homeland. Groups such as the Tumbuka and Dagbamba have also done this. They have managed to retain a strong identity, partially due to the continued use of musical practices; paradoxically, this has tied them to ancestral practices, but also made the transition to modernity easier. In dealing with societies where that which is modern is completely foreign and different from customary, holdin... ... Instead, it is multifaceted and complex. Contrary to what many believe, the retention of traditional practices and a transition to a modern state are not mutually exclusive. The role that tradition and customary behavior and practice play in society depends heavily on the situation and the individual reckoning of the importance of maintaining traditional musical practices, the value placed on time and its rationing, and the possible symbiotic relationship between the modern and the traditional. The analysis of how these three seemingly unrelated concepts interact with each other forms a basis for understanding the extent to which ?traditional? musical elements will be accepted or rejected by a particular society. ?Tradition? does not entail backwardness or inability to react to changes, but rather a continued respect for those who came before and their way of life.

Barclays Bank PLC Is A Multinational Company Essay

Amenities to attract highly skilled and creative persons at all important levels ? Tradition of closeness to key customers and target customers A business can differentiate itself by performing its existing value activities or reconfiguring in some unique ways. And the sustainability of that differentiation will depend on two things: a continuation of its high perceived value to buyers and a lack of imitation by competitors. There are many alternative strategic directions in which Barclaycard could implement in their current strategy of differentiation. These may include technology innovation or product/ service differentiation. Product/service differentiation Product differentiation occurs â€Å"when, owing to differences in physical attributes, ancillary service, geographic location, information, and/or subjective image, one firm’s products are clearly preferred by at least some buyers over rival products at a given price† (, 1990, ). For firms seeking to make their demand curve less elastic, successful differentiation provides an insulated position against competitors by enabling firms to sell a larger quantity at a given price or by allowing the firm to create brand loyalty in customers resulting in lower sensitivity to price. This uniqueness may build an entry barrier for competitors to overcome (, 1992; , 1980). However, being unique may require a trade-off with investment if achieving differentiation requires costly effort such as extensive research, product design, high quality materials, or intensive customer support. Thus, the firms employing the differentiation strategy cannot ignore costs and risk (, 1980). Horizontal product differentiation focuses on differences in attribute variety among competing brands. It occurs â€Å"when one brand contains more of some attributes but less of some other attributes in comparison to another brand† (). Consumers’ different tastes will exploit differing strong and weak points among brands given identical prices (, 1992). The shift towards consumerism is accelerating with significant implications in many of the markets in which we operate. Fundamentally, our view is that consumerism involves a shift in power from institutions towards consumers. The rapid transformation of the credit card industry – first with the severing of the traditional tie between bank accounts and credit cards and second, with the emergence of credit as a true commodity in the credit card industry – illustrates this so well. Consumers in the past were grateful if they received credit – it was seen as a right granted to a special few by a bank and hence banks held power over individuals. The value proposition was the availability of credit. Technology Innovation In the case of Barclaycard, it is could improve its operations and competitive advantage through real time design data driven tools. This tool would improve their credit limit strategies and increase their interest earning balances. A Fair, Isaac Model Builder for the decision trees may be used as this tool uses historical data to assist in identifying optimal account management strategies. Fair, Isaac Model Builder for Decision Trees is a PC Windows based application designed specifically to support data driven strategy design. It gives lenders the power to rapidly create new strategies in real time using multiple performance dimensions, to process large datasets rapidly so strategies at any point for greater understanding of the portfolio and transfers strategies to and from production application with ease, putting new strategies into production faster. This real time, highly interactive approach dramatically shortens the time between strategy creation and roll out. With Barclaycard objectives of the new strategies to increase interest bearing balances, increase turnover, control bad debt, and address attrition, Fair, Fair Isaac can be a big help for the organization. While the average number of cards in a person’s wallet has increased over the last five years, the value to an individual of having multiple cards will diminish in an environment where credit is a commodity.

The Harlem Renaissance By Zora Neale Hurston - 1906 Words

Truth A reflection of the truth. The Harlem Renaissance is real. It is identified as a spiritual re-awakening, a rebirth in culture, a sense of pride and self awareness. However, African Americans were not always allowed this prodigious freedom. Prior to the Harlem Renaissance African Americans were slaves; considered a piece of property who had no rights whatsoever. Despite, their harsh history, Civil Rights were enforced, this helped bring them out of their misery; which is why the harlem renaissance is such an important era for the African American culture. Zora Neale Hurston plays a very critical role in the identification of Harlem Renaissance. She was born in Alabama on January 7, 1891. Both of her parents were former†¦show more content†¦However, during these such obstacles she also finds herself and creates a voice of her own. Growing up Janie had a different lifestyle than most african Americans, she grew up believing that she was indeed white. Although she was raised by her grandmother, which she knew as nanny she lived with a family of whites and was treated as one of them.Janie was given a hard time at school because of this her nanny decided it was time to move out. The turning point in Janie s life occurred when Nanny caught her kissing a boy; Nanny was disappointed because she wanted Janie to be better than what her mother and herself had become. Nanny knowing that she was going to die soon set up an arranged marriage with an older man who was interested in Janie. Janie only being 14 and in desperate search for love hated the thought of her soon to be husband, but she thought that when two people got married they automatically fell in love with each other. She soon discovers that is not what happens. Janie runs away to discover herself, in spite of her self awareness she also finds herself running off with a younger man abandoning her safe home and husband for something in which she does not know how it will play out. Joe Starks, Mayor of Eatonville he was once a young charming guy who spoke well and knew how to get what he wanted. Throughout time his attitude changed and he went from aShow MoreRelatedThe Harlem Renaissance By Zora Neale Hurston1896 Words   |  8 Pages Personal Identity The Harlem Renaissance was a period from the end of World War I through the middle of the Great Depression, during which a group of talented African-American writers produced a body of poetry, fiction, drama, and essays. Zora Neale Hurston is considered to be one of the most influential contributors to the Harlem Renaissance period. Hourston grew up in this culturally affirming setting due to her father’s mentality, despite frequent confrontations with her preacher-father, sheRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance By Zora Neale Hurston925 Words   |  4 PagesThe Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement in the 1920s that led to the evolution of African-American culture, expression through art, music, and literary works, and the establishment of African roots in America. Zora Neale Hurston contributed to the Harlem Renaissance with her original and enticing stories. However, Hurston’s works are notorious (specifically How it Feels to Be Colored Me and Their Eyes Were Watching God) because they illustrate the author’s view of black women and demonstrateRead MoreAnalysis Of The Harlem Renaissance By Zora Neale Hurston1751 Words   |  8 PagesAnalytical Essay During the Harlem Renaissance many African American were coming out of the shadow and started a cultural movement. They migrated to the north throughout 1915 to 1918. They moved up north for the urban industrial centers like Harlem, Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit which was known as the great migration for the African American community was now getting noticed by the white man. This was a breakthrough for the African American they moved to find better jobs to carve out better livesRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance Movement By Zora Neale Hurston1446 Words   |  6 PagesHistory.com (2009) describes the Harlem Renaissance movement as â€Å"a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that kindled a new black cultural identity.† The 1920s and 1930s emcompass a time in history where blacks found themselves ostracized from mainstream society. It was uncommon to see the expressions of black artistry in everyday life, especially on a literary level. 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Due to this movement, Harlem became the city that â€Å"gave African Americans a physical cultural center.† [1] Renowned black artists such as Zora Neale Hurston, LangstonRead MoreRole Of Zora Neale Hrston In The Harlem Renaissance1237 Words   |  5 Pages The Societal Role of Zora Neale Hurston during the Harlem Renaissance Jasmine Graham Nichole Craig HUM2020 (178011) TR 3:30-4:45 The Harlem Renaissance was a very historical time for the African American community as a whole. The Harlem Renaissance helped to pave the way for the civil rights movements that began around the early 1950s. During this time there was an influx of people who decided to relocate from the south to the north. The Harlem Renaissance also sparked a rise inRead MoreStory in Harlem Slang976 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Story in Harlem Slang† by Zora Neale Hurston is written entirely in Harlemese. It contains a three-page appendix, at the end of the story, with the translated slang she used to aid the reader. Harlemese is used to describe things taking place in Harlem and to create a sense that Harlem is its own place, almost a country inside of a country for Blacks. During this time many Blacks believed that living in the North was much better than living in the Jim Crow consumed south. The idea that Zora Neale HurstonRead MoreSummary Of Zora Neale Hurston 1210 Words   |  5 Pages9:00 Zora Neale Hurston Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891 in Alabama. She is known to be one of the most influential novelist of the twentieth century in African America literature. Hurston is described to be a very opinionated woman that stood for what she believed in; which reflected in some of her works. In addition to her many titles such as, being an anthropologist and short story writer, she was closely related and heavily focused on the Harlem Renaissance. Zora Neale Hurston andRead MoreDust Tracks on a Road Essay1901 Words   |  8 PagesHonors American Literature January 9th, 2013 Zora Neale Hurston autobiography Dust Tracks on a Road, sketches her own life living in Eatonville, Florida, was the first organized self-government African American community. Many people saw the African American community as racism and segregation. Hurston implies that the nicest people she met in her early stages were whites who showed her compassion. According to her official website Zora Neale Hurston, â€Å"Dust Tracks on a Road, was her account of herRead MoreA New Beginning For African Americans Essay1291 Words   |  6 Pagesmovement became known as the Harlem Renaissance, which is also known as the â€Å"New Negro Movement†. With this movement, African Americans sought out to challenge the â€Å"Negro† stereotype that they had received from others while developing innovation and great cultural activity. The Harlem Renaissance became an artistic explosion in the creative arts. Thus, many African Americans turned to writing, art, music, and theatrics to expres s their selves. The Harlem Renaissance opened doors to the African American