I've returned from my trip and am now taking some time to research the sort of Bonobo vocalizations described by Frans de Waal, as quoted in my previous post. I've also been trying to find some clips of Bonobo "duetting" or "chorusing," but so far Google has let me down. I keep finding links to the singer who calls himself "Bonobo," which is no help at all. If we can trust de Waal, however, they perform vocal duets, and also group "choruses" in an interactive manner somewhat similar to what can be heard in certain types of African Pygmy and Bushmen vocalization. I've already presented some of my ideas regarding human-primate parallels of this sort in a series of earlier posts (see especially posts 21 et seq and 34 et seq), in the context of a discussion of the origins of music, but at this point I want to take things a step farther to consider the adaptational advantage of "musical" cooperation in the development of the earliest humans.
I must confess that my efforts to find good recordings, or videos, and more up to date literature on this topic, are taking more time and trouble than I'd anticipated, so this post is going to be unusually brief. I've found some interesting writings, but need more time to digest it all.
Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a link to this wonderful video lecture on Bonobos by Susan Savage-Rumbaugh, which will give you some idea of how extraordinarily intelligent they are.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
----Scroll down for Blog posts----
The links will take you to the first post of each section. To continue with the next post in the same section, select "Newer Post" on the bottom left.
Introduction May 2007 -- Posts 1 - 11
Music in Year One -- Some Examples
A Phylogenetic Tree May 2007 -- Posts 12 - 20
The Bottleneck -- More Branches
Year Zero and Beyond June-July 2007 -- Posts 21 - 55
More Examples -- The Missing Link -- From 000000 to 000001 -- Music Degree Zero? -- Blow Ye Winds of Morning -- Battle of the Maps -- A Phylogeographical Study, A Cantometric Table and a Yellow Bell
Our Story so Far -- an Overview July 2007 -- Posts 56 - 62
The Power of Music July 2007 -- Posts 63 - 75
The links will take you to the first post of each section. To continue with the next post in the same section, select "Newer Post" on the bottom left.
Introduction May 2007 -- Posts 1 - 11
Music in Year One -- Some Examples
A Phylogenetic Tree May 2007 -- Posts 12 - 20
The Bottleneck -- More Branches
Year Zero and Beyond June-July 2007 -- Posts 21 - 55
More Examples -- The Missing Link -- From 000000 to 000001 -- Music Degree Zero? -- Blow Ye Winds of Morning -- Battle of the Maps -- A Phylogeographical Study, A Cantometric Table and a Yellow Bell
Our Story so Far -- an Overview July 2007 -- Posts 56 - 62
The Power of Music July 2007 -- Posts 63 - 75
The Great Kalahari Debate
The Power of Cantometrics August 2007 -- Posts 76 - 82
Cultural Equity Aug. - Oct. 2007 -- Posts 83 - 98
Are Indigenous Cultures Frozen in Time? -- The Double Standard -- The Lesson for Today
Music of the Great Tradition Oct. 2007 - Aug. 2008 -- Posts 99 - 159
Gamelan -- Georgia -- Europe -- Hocket -- Drone -- Dudki
The Pygmy/Bushmen Nexus July 2009 -- Posts 161 - 171, 173
African Offshoots -- A Comprehensive Musical System
Articles Now Available for Download July 2009 -- Post 172
Music and Cultural Evolution July 2009 -- Posts 174 - 181
An Overwhelming Question Aug. 2009 -- Posts 182 - 194
Utopia, Then and Now Aug.-Sept. 2009 -- Posts 195 - 200
Deconstructing the Postmodern Condition Sept. 2009 -- Posts 201 - 224
L'Affaire Turnbull -- Myth and Counter-Myth -- Tradition
The Baseline Scenarios Oct. 2009 - Jan. 2010 -- Posts 225 - 278
Conjure -- The Baseline -- Hunter-Gatherers -- The Migrants -- The Gap -- The Migration -- The Event -- Questions
The Power of Cantometrics August 2007 -- Posts 76 - 82
Cultural Equity Aug. - Oct. 2007 -- Posts 83 - 98
Are Indigenous Cultures Frozen in Time? -- The Double Standard -- The Lesson for Today
Music of the Great Tradition Oct. 2007 - Aug. 2008 -- Posts 99 - 159
Gamelan -- Georgia -- Europe -- Hocket -- Drone -- Dudki
The Pygmy/Bushmen Nexus July 2009 -- Posts 161 - 171, 173
African Offshoots -- A Comprehensive Musical System
Articles Now Available for Download July 2009 -- Post 172
Music and Cultural Evolution July 2009 -- Posts 174 - 181
An Overwhelming Question Aug. 2009 -- Posts 182 - 194
Utopia, Then and Now Aug.-Sept. 2009 -- Posts 195 - 200
Deconstructing the Postmodern Condition Sept. 2009 -- Posts 201 - 224
L'Affaire Turnbull -- Myth and Counter-Myth -- Tradition
The Baseline Scenarios Oct. 2009 - Jan. 2010 -- Posts 225 - 278
Conjure -- The Baseline -- Hunter-Gatherers -- The Migrants -- The Gap -- The Migration -- The Event -- Questions
Babel Jan. 2010 -- Posts 279 - 285
Aftermath Jan. - Feb. 2010 - Posts 286 - 310
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1 comment:
Sure, the fact that bonobos and australopithecines are so similar is very revealing. Kinda knew that already but watching them walking with rather similar gait and watching bonobos make tools and drawing symbolic language reminds us that somehow our roots are there.
Bonobos are just great. I hope they survive forever. They are not just informative but also a very hopeful self-referent for our species.
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