Turino

Turino discusses Peruvian music of the Andes, particularly that of the Aymara in Conima. Turino presents Aymara culture as fundamentally based on how the society functions as a whole which is "as one." From what I gathered. The Aymara are staunchly rooted in the notion of "all for one, and one for all." The community is meant to function for the sake of itself, and actions that divide the community in favor of individualism are discouraged. The thematic motif of binary symmetry is present in Aymara art, music, and even cooking. This binary symmetry mimics the pattern of the sun in that everything radiates from one central source to create one functioning system. In Aymara music, performers work as a whole to produce one musical system and thus essentially play as "one performer." The modus operandi for composition is very intriguing in that one person's idea is never truly attributed to them. Although one performer or composer may be sought out for their talents, it is seen as prideful to claim their own creativity. Also, the musical community is encouraged to alter or re-write a composer's music whoever they see fit to meet the majority's own tastes. Basically, NO DIVAS ALLOWED. In American culture, we champion virtuosity in all walks of life (arts, academics, etc.) Specifically in the U.S., the capitalist attitude favors individualism, and in the arts, we usually see individualism as essential for cultivating one's artistic identity. I feel as though our attitudes toward individualism favors the artist versus the community in a way that is not seen in Aymara culture. Does the Aymara attitude toward the arts truly allow for cultivation of individual creativity?