Prompt #17: The Impact and Influence of Folk

 (01.23.2025)

    Throughout our time in Glasgow, my class has had so many great opportunities to listen to and learn about folk music. From performances to guest talks to guided tours, we’ve explored the meaning and impact of this genre, and how it relates to our own lives. I have always looked at folk music as a way of passing down stories, specifically stories of the hurting and oppressed. It’s a genre whose artists are not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and I really admire its diversity. It honors tradition, while also challenging it. This quote by Bob Dylan really resonates with the way that I view folk music.

“It [folk music] exceeded all human understanding, and if it called out to you, you could disappear and be sucked into it.”

    I love this quote because it reflects the idea that music transcends the normal way that we express ourselves. It helps to explain the unknown, and folk in particular has a wonderful way of doing so. 

   Thursday evening, our class attended “We Are Here Scotland”, a diverse assortment of folk-inspired musicians. I got to see and hear how this genre has impacted the lives of several people from very different backgrounds. We began with Miwa Nagato-Apthorp, a Scottish-Japanese musician, whose self-written pieces told stories of female oppression and cultural/racial identity. One of her songs, titled “The Bonded One”, explored the mistreatment of “Bondagers”, female farm workers in 19th century Scotland. The song was simple as far as instrumentation goes (it was just her voice and a shruti box), but was full of sincere emotion. You can listen to and read more about this song here — https://alchemyfilmandarts.org.uk/miwa-nagato-apthorp/.

    The next artist Simone Seales, an American-born Glasgow-based cellist. Seales self-composed pieces reflected feelings of love, loss, identity, and belonging. Their songs questioned what it means to be Black and queer and how they have navigated the world through tumultuous periods in their life. You can find Seales’ on several streaming platforms, including Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/artist/4y5UNCSdkcNu9Y1WUHNJVy?si=hobwpsviROG8zs-FzquzrQ.

    The final musicians, lead by Iranian refugee Aref Ghorbani, were full of life! Several of the songs that they played honored their culture and felt full of light and love. Their songs were often more upbeat, but still reflected the hardships and deeply-rooted problems within society. Immigration and conflict were two important themes that were brought up by the group.

(Left to right) Aref Ghorbani, Simone Seales, and 

Miwa Nagato-Apthorp.

     Folk is about so much more than just the music. It’s about community, empowerment, and understanding. It is a genre found throughout the entire world. It isn’t afraid to question life or humanity, but also appreciates these things. It gives voices to the voiceless, allowing stories to be carried on for generations. Folk is absolutely timeless, and will continue to be!

- Gillian