"Sing me back home" book: a unique ethnography dedicated to the musical and cultural heritage of Sardinia
A1 Digital India News: University of New Mexico Associate Professor Christina M. Jacobson's deep love for Sardinian music and culture is evident in her new book, "Sing Me Back Home." The book is the result of 13 months of ethnographic research with Sardinian musicians, poets, and storytellers, in which Jacobson studied Sardinian language and culture through songwriting.
Through Sing Me Back Home, Jacobson uncovers the depth of Sardinian music and the importance of their historic songs. Her research shows how Sardinian songs keep their history alive and give a new direction to the musical and cultural genre.
Jacobson's "ethnographic songwriting" approach brings her to the experience of co-creating with Sardinian musicians. While in her first book she traveled with a Navajo Nation country western band, in this book she works with Sardinian musicians and songwriters to write new songs.
"Sing Me Back Home" includes several elements that set it apart from other books. These include links to original songs written in Sardinia, songwriting prompts, a dictionary of lyrics, and photographs taken from the region. Jacobson's ethnographic study is a unique blend of approaches such as auto-ethnography, public ethnography, and arts-based research, offering readers new ways to hear and understand Sardinia's culture.
Jacobson will host a book release event on November 17 at Bookworks in Albuquerque, where there will also be live performances of Sardinian music and songs. The event is free, but reservations are required at the AMP concert site due to limited space.
Jacobson encourages readers to purchase copies of Sing Me Back Home from local and independent bookstores. The book is available at Bookworks and Organic Books in Albuquerque.
“Sing Me Back Home” offers a unique experience for those interested in cultural and musical studies and want to get a closer look at the language and culture of Sardinia.