Dr Booth’s research on wedding bands in India and Pakistan is significant to me because it shows that a researcher cannot predetermine the findings of their study, but that does not necessarily remove its value.
The procession of Indian wedding bands was loud and colourful phenomenon were discovered by the researcher while studying Indian classical music in Bombay. Dr Booth, an ethnomusicologist with a passion for Indian music, found out that these musicians were not always skilful, not playing and often decorative, just there for the paycheck. This view contrasts sharply with that held in the West, where we tend to romanticise music, and would have been tough for the researcher to address.
It is challenging to address the value of this story if musicians do not value the music they are playing and are unlikely to read their story owing to their illiteracy. The question is whether this story needs telling at all.
It does give an interesting viewpoint into Indian society and its differing perceptions of music. In the upper classes, it highlights the cultural influence of the British brass bands as a sign of luxury; music is a status symbol. However, for the lower castes, these bands are a necessary means for survival where music pays the bills.
This research shows that music can be valued for more than just its craft but also its ability to feed a family. While the latter viewpoint is not one which we are familiar in New Zealand that shows the privileged position many of us have un being able the the luxury that we have in being able spend time creating a career of value rather than having just a job.
