Journal ofTaiwan Normal University:
Humanities & Social Sciences
2007,52,37-57
A Study ofBunum Musical Communication Using
Roman Jakosons Communicative Model
Mai-NeyKuo
Department ofMusic, National Taitung University
Abstract
Communication is the oldest form of human interaction, and human beings are
communicative animals by nature. During the communicative process
,
human beings
convey messages through
“
meaningful media" such as symbols. Through the use of
signs, various cultural and artistic forms, including musical structures, are constructed
and transmitted; indeed, culture is passed on from one generation to the next through
signs. Bubun aboriginal music is a specific type of sign-vehicle: it transmits the
cultural meanings and symbols of Bunun culture, and as thus becomes an important
communicative medium within the whole Bunum socio-cultural system. Thus we
need the understand the socio-cultural meanings of the music; lacking hits, the purely
“
musical element" will become a meaningless sign. This study reviews the theoretical
issues at stake here from the perspective of semiology: music is thus seen as a
communicative activity employing a systematic structure of signs
,
the language that
needs to be read and analyzed by an interpreter. The researcher therefore uses the
communicative model created by Roman Jakobson to explore the relation between the
performance and ommunicative function of Bunun music, and to elucidate the
diversity or versatility of the Bunun musical mode of communication. Finally, the
socio-cultural meanings of the music will be analyzed.