From Antiphonal Singing In Intercourse To Performing On Stage:a Case Study Of Age-set Organizations In A Dong Village Of Guangzhou Province

This thesis is a case study of age-set organizations of the Dong people. Gaoban, which means "partner"in the Dong language,is a geopolitical organization establishing on age and gender, prevalent in the Dong villages which Polyphonic Folk Songs of the kam are still sung. As the main singers and inheritors of the Dong Polyphonic Folk Songs,it is named "song-class". The thesis attempt to have a clear and a plain understanding of the relation between age-set organizations and Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong, by analyzing age-set organizations of the Dong and singing significance from synchronic and diachronic perspectives,taking a Dong village in Congjiang County of Guizhou Province as the fieldwork place.In a certain historical period of time, there are over ten age-set organizations for each sex in a Dong village. They are interactiving according to the native institutional norms. They performs different tasks in the village according to sex and age. From 1940s to 2012,the relation between Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong and age-set organizations of the Dong has been changing:before the mid 1990’s, Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong were main singing in Friendly intercourse between two villages,its function obviously fell on internal ethnic communication;after the mid 1990’s, Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong had progressively become a performing type. In the current society with frequent population mobility, the function of the Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong which performing in the village falls on reinforcement of the group identification of the age-set organizations of the Dong as well as the villagers. The age-set organizations of the Dong having cultural consciousness is the key link of that Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong being handed down in Gaozeng Village.The content discussed has reference value for the Protection and Handing-down of the intangible cultural heritage and community integration.This thesis has five chapters.significance,aim,literature review,theory and method of the study are introduced in Preface.Chapter One gives a brief introduction about the ecological culture background of the fieldwork village. Chapter Two analyzes activities of age-set organizations of the Dong from from synchronic perspectives, attempting to understand how age-set organizations of the Dong work and significance of the Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong.to understanding how age-set organizations of the Dong work and significance of the Polyphonic Folk Songs of the Dong.Chapter Three discusses activities of age-set organizations of the Dong from diachronic perspectives. Conclusion Part discusses the reference value for the Protection and intangible cultural heritage and community integration.