Cross-cultural musicology: The History of the American Gatha
Presented by Cynthia Morris at the Hakalau Jodo Mission on March 9th.
This presentation examines the history of the gatha, specifically the Protestant Triumphalist-style hymns performed in the American Buddhist liturgy. These hymns were created in Hawaii in the early part of the 20th century, ostensibly as part of the westernization of Japanese society.
This research focuses on the societal pressures both within Japan and Hawaii that brought about the creation of these westernized songs. These pressures brought about massive changes in doctrine and a creation of a new Buddhist liturgy for the West.
We will look at the “Buddhist Vade Mecum,” the first service book first assembled at the Honpa Hongwanji in Hilo in 1924. This predecessor to the current hymnbooks was an assemblage of original compositions and Protestant hymns, many of which were altered to fit into a Buddhist service. I will also discuss the successor to the Vade Mecum, the 1949 “Praises of the Buddha,” which is the predecessor to the current hymnals used by the Jodo and Soto Zen denominations.
This presentation examines the history of the gatha, specifically the Protestant Triumphalist-style hymns performed in the American Buddhist liturgy. These hymns were created in Hawaii in the early part of the 20th century, ostensibly as part of the westernization of Japanese society.
This research focuses on the societal pressures both within Japan and Hawaii that brought about the creation of these westernized songs. These pressures brought about massive changes in doctrine and a creation of a new Buddhist liturgy for the West.
We will look at the “Buddhist Vade Mecum,” the first service book first assembled at the Honpa Hongwanji in Hilo in 1924. This predecessor to the current hymnbooks was an assemblage of original compositions and Protestant hymns, many of which were altered to fit into a Buddhist service. I will also discuss the successor to the Vade Mecum, the 1949 “Praises of the Buddha,” which is the predecessor to the current hymnals used by the Jodo and Soto Zen denominations.
Cynthia Morris was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii. She attended California State University Northridge, where she was earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in saxophone. After graduation, she worked in the Los Angeles film industry on motion picture film editing crews. In 2010, Cynthia enrolled in graduate studies at the University of California at Santa Cruz where she earned a Master of Arts degree in Musicology. Her research focused on the protest music of nineteenth century Hawai‘i. Her master’s thesis was “The Prison Songs of Liliʻuokalani.” Cynthia is a member of the American Musicological Society and the Society for Ethnomusicology. She moved back to the Big Island in 2018 and once again calls Hilo her home.