26 research outputs found
Introducion
No full textThe paper is Introduction to: Music of the twenty-first century disporas: research and problems, edited by the author and Giovanni Giuriati. It contains a contribution to some nodal questions about music and migration studies, applied to the Italian situation. In particular: 1. Who are we talking about; 2. Ethnomusicology and migration studies; Music: from migrants to the new “us”. The themes touched by the articles of the book are particularly considered and presented
The Akazehe of Burundi: Polyphonic Interlocking Greetings and the Female Ceremonial / by Serena Facci. ; translated by Alessandra Ciucci
No full textAkazehe is one of the names in Burundi for forms of sung greeting performed exclusively by women. Studies carried out during the colonial era (in particular Rodegem 1965, 1973) and in more recent times (Ndimurwanko 1985-6) have shown how the contents of these greetings among women are closely linked to the feminine world in which these greetings are used—in specific private and public spaces in accordance with rural tradition. Although these greetings were becoming less common at the time the research for this article was conducted, the author was able to record a number of akazehe after listening to examples of them in the sound archives of the Centre de civilisation burundaise.
A greeting is defined by linguists as a formalized parenthesis that defines, reiterates, and encloses the relation between two participants. The formulaic character of a greeting makes it different from ordinary speech. In the case of the akazehe, the greeting emphasizes gestural and sound qualities to such an extent that it creates a veritable musical texture.
This article presents transcriptions and analysis of some models of akazehe, focusing on one that features procedures of vocal interlocking. The two parts—gutera and kwakira—are organized according to musical rules that manifest a strong spirit of cooperation between the two women who sing the two parts in dialogue. Furthermore, well-defined rules of exchange for the two roles semantically remind us of the social equality between the two participants. The musical enrichment of the time reserved for the greeting is experienced as amusing by the performers. The greeting also represents an opportunity for artistic expression in a social reality that otherwise allows few performance spaces for women
Un canto sulla collina di Mubende
No full textIl kubandwa è un culto di possessione diffuso in Africa Centro-orientale e attualmente in rispresa anche presso le popolazioni cristianizzate. Si basa su un pantheon molto ampio. Tra gli spiriti più importanti ci sono i Bacwezi, una mitica stirpe regnante sull'area. A Mubende, uno dei siti sacri più importanti in Uganda, l'autrice ha incontrato la medium di uno spirito femminile, Nyakahima, che, durante un'intervista ha intonato un canto particolarmente suggestivo anche in quanto testimonianza di sincretismo religioso.Kubandwa is a possession cult in the Great Lake Region in Africa. The most important spirits are the Bacwezi, an ancient mythic dynasty of kings. In Mubende, an important sacred site, the author met a medium of the spirit of Nyakahima. She sang a song particularly interesting, because was an exemple of the syncretism between this cult and the Christian religion
Mille canzoni per un burattino che canzonava
No full textThe article considers some of the many songs inspired by Collodi\u27s book, in particular those that are part of film soundtracks. The author distinguishes the songs of Pinocchio from those about Pinocchio.
Pinocchio doesn\u27t sing much in the novel, rather he jokes, he is intrigued by shows and loves to party, he pollutes the soundscape with his wooden feet, in short he is noisy like a naughty child. Generally, Italian films respect philologically this spontaneous childish musicality of Pinocchio. Instead, foreign musical films as those of Disney and Del Toro have used the episode of Mangiafuoco\u27s theater to underline Pinocchio\u27s identity as a real puppet, as a showman.
Moreover, even the authors of songs about Pinocchio have interpreted and celebrated him (as on the occasion of the inauguration of the park in Collodi) in many ways, highlighting the ambiguity and richness of the character and of his adventures. Even the music (melodies, arrangements, sounds) are affected by the bittersweet complexity of the elusive puppet.The article examines some of the many songs inspired by Collodi’s book, in particular those that are part of film soundtracks. The author distinguishes between the songs about Pinocchio and those song by Pinocchio. Pinocchio does not sing much in the novel, he mainly likes mocking and is easy-go- ing, interested in plays and loves partying. He furthermore pollutes the soundscape with his wooden feet and is altogether a noisy and naughty child. Italian films generally respect Pinocchio’s sponta- neous childish musicality, whereas foreign musical films, such as those produced by Disney and Del Toro have used the episode of Mangiafuoco’s theater to underline Pinocchio’s identity as a showman, who is actually a puppet. Moreover, also the authors of the songs about Pinocchio interpreted and celebrated him in many ways (e.g.the inauguration of the park in Collodi) highlighting the ambiguity and richness of the character and his adventures. Even the music (melodies, arrangements, sounds) are influenced by the bittersweet complexity of the elusive puppet
Toward the design of a tailored training course for birth assistance: an Ethiopian experience.
No full textSimulation in healthcare has already demonstrated extraordinary potential in high-income countries. However, to date, few authors have explored the possibility of applying simulation-based training in African settings, highlighting the necessity of need-based training protocols capable of addressing economic, social, and cultural aspects. In this framework, this research investigates the main features a simulation training course on umbilical cord care and placenta management should have to be considered effective and sustainable in an African healthcare environment. Local facilitators were identified as the best resources for defining course contents and providing technical lectures to mitigate cultural, linguistic, and social issues. For the training program, the design of a new low-cost medium-fidelity simulator was explored and a preliminary evaluation was performed. Finally, the propensity of 25 students to attend a simulation training course was investigated using a questionnaire. The attitude of the enrolled students was positive, endorsing the future introduction of simulation training into the educational offers of Ethiopian colleges
Nursing and midwifery simulation training with a newly developed low-cost high-fidelity placenta simulator: a collaboration between Italy and Ethiopia
No full textAbstract Background Simulation training provides safe environment for skill acquisition and retention. This study addresses a critical challenge in Africa – umbilical cord and placenta management after childbirth – aiming to bridge theoretical learning with practical experiences through simulation. We realized a new low-cost high-fidelity simulator of placenta and umbilical cord. We conducted a needs-based training course for nursing and midwifery students at St. Luke Hospital of Wolisso, Ethiopia, to validate our new simulator and compare its acceptability and teaching effectiveness with other two simulators (conventional low-fidelity model and human placenta). Methods We surveyed St. Luke Hospital medical experts to obtain their feedback on the new simulator’s face, content, and usability. We carried out a simulation training course for 67 students who received theoretical lectures and simulation courses being divided into three groups according to the simulator used. We assessed the simulators’ user acceptability using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and compared the final objective evaluations by tutors between groups. Results Experts confirmed the new simulator’s fidelity, material quality, and usability. Students training on the new simulator demonstrated higher objective scores and perceived it as more useful and user-friendly compared to human placenta, while there was no difference between conventional simulator and human placenta in the TAM items. Conclusion We validated a new high-fidelity simulator developed by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy, using the TAM scale and robust statistical methods, thanks to a successful collaboration with St. Luke’s Hospital in a simulation training course where students achieved higher objective scores and perceived the simulator as more useful and easier to use than a real human placenta, suggesting significant educational benefits and potential for future research
Maria Callas and the achievement of an operatic vocal subjectivity
No full textThe early decades of the twentieth century saw Italian opera singers gradually lose the role of co-author they had once enjoyed and evolve into mere performers.
The appearance of soprano Maria Callas (1923–1977) provoked a singing revolution which would contribute to restoring the subjectivity of the performance and establishing the centrality of the female voice in musical culture. Almost half a century after her death, she remains the most famous and quoted opera singer of all time, whose reputation has reached well beyond the narrow borders of the musical world.
Her almost unconscious action relied on some basic features:
– the restoration of lost performing practices, not only forgotten scores, but also techniques and styles related to them;
– the legitimacy of a voice that moved away from the common euphony and timbre homogeneity pursued by modern vocal teaching;
– the replacement of the concept of “beautiful sound” with that of “dramatically appropriate sound”;
– the experimentation of unorthodox emission modes, anticipating some features of the Neue Musik and the so-called New Vocality of the following decades.
If a modernisation and re-evaluation of singing and acting as a whole in the world of opera is today so evident, much of the credit is indeed due to her influence
Occupational Health in Brazil
No full textThe author presents a review of the history of occupational health in Brazil, concerning the last 3 centuries. This period was divided into (a) slave labour, (b) immigrant labour, and (c) industrial labour. The author shows the early occupational diseases, pioneering occupational physicians and Brazilian laws on the subject. The creation of Fundacentro (Brazilian Foundation of Occupational Health and Safety) and the foundation of the Brazilian Association on Occupational Medicine (ANAMT) are described as well as their activities. The author concludes the article by showing the importance of the actions of the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Social Security for the development of occupational health in Brazil
Active close contact investigation of tuberculosis through computer-aided detection and stool Xpert MTB/RIF among people living in Oromia Region, Ethiopia (CADOOL Study): protocol for a prospective, cross-sectional study
No full textIntroduction Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease with high incidence in low-income countries (LICs); it remains one of the infectious diseases with the highest mortality in the world, especially in LICs. It is crucial to recognise and diagnose TB as soon as possible, but microbiological tests on sputum are not always sensitive enough. New methods for an early diagnosis of TB are needed. In this study, we will investigate the role of two different tests to detect TB in Ethiopia (where the prevalence of TB is high): molecular search for TB in stool samples with Xpert assay and detection of pulmonary TB signs on chest X-rays with CAD4TB technology.
Methods and analysis A prospective diagnostic test accuracy study during TB active contact investigation will be conducted. In the referral hospital in Southwest Shoa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, patients with pulmonary TB and a sputum sample positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and household contacts of at least 4 years
of age will be enrolled, with a target sample size of 231 patients. Trained staff will label household contacts as ‘possible TB’ cases or not according to their symptoms; when TB is possible, a stool Xpert and computer-aided detection on chest X-ray will be performed, alongside standard diagnostic methods, assessing the diagnostic accuracy of CAD4TB compared with Xpert MTB/RIF during TB contact investigation and the accuracy of stool Xpert compared with sputum Xpert
