power of music

Music has played an important role in African culture for generations. Starting from the Middle Passage, slaves from different tribes used singing as a form of communication. These songs expressed emotions like sorrow and hope, and were carried on orally during slavery. This custom was further strengthened as slave owners prevented slaves from learning to read and write. In addition, they also forbade slaves from making music in fear of revolt, but this tradition was still secretly passed on. In doing so, slaves were able to convey their despair, protest their enslavement, and more importantly, share coded messages for escape to the North. In other words, music served as a connection between slaves that guided them to freedom and kept their culture alive.

Similarly, singing in the Song of Solomon enable Milkman to learn about his unknown ancestral history. His journey itself started because of Pilate’s songs about the Sugarman. Since he began tracing his family’s steps, Milkman’s “interest in his own people, not just the ones he met, had been growing (293).” Milkman is guided through songs like the one the children sang, and he uses his interpretation as a way to piece together his history. The power of music is shown again through the children’s song. The lyrics reflect and reveal events that happened decades ago to Milkman’s great-grandparents. But, through generations of oral rendition, this information is still viable. This journey also allows Milkman to discover himself. In Shalimar, his ancestral home, Milkman overcomes the ideals of materialism and instead, accepts his identity as a black man. Thus, the aspects of music that were applicable to slaves still apply to Milkman. Both used music as mediums to sustain culture and gain freedom.