by TRAVIS TURCOTTE
The Ottawa Valley has a rich history of fiddling which has maintained an important social role within rural communities. Interestingly, the roots of the Ottawa Valley fiddling tradition are tied closest with the Irish tradition, much like that of Newfoundland and Labrador. There are of course widespread influences that contribute to the Ottawa Valley fiddling style, which can be traced to French, German, Polish, and even Ukrainian influences. Despite European influences, the early pioneers who brought with them violins began to play them in a completely new way once across the ocean. Pioneers of rural Canada established their own style of fiddling, which was distinct from one local region to another. This created a huge diversity of music that was played by the European settlers of Canada.
Fiddling in rural Canada is largely an oral tradition, meaning that the type of transmission wasn’t based on written notation. Instead, oral traditions are based on the older generation teaching the younger generation. Some oral traditions are eventually written down but it is only after they have prospered for generations. For example, it was only after fiddle tunes became popularized that Canadians would ever attempt to write them down. A similar phenomenon occurred with the traveling bards of Ancient Greece where epic poetry was passed down from generation to generation through story telling. It was only around 850 BCE that “Homer”, that is if he ever existed, wrote down centuries of an oral tradition. Perhaps the most frightening aspect regarding an oral tradition is that once there are no more living people practicing the tradition there is an immense amount of information that is lost forever. It is comparable to when we lose languages that were never written down, once the remaining speakers of the language pass on, we lose a vital tool for understanding a culture.
The fiddling tradition within the Ottawa Valley does of course continue to maintain a certain degree of prosperity and I must acknowledge that there are a number of very excellent fiddlers in the Ottawa Valley who perform and teach within the community. By extension the Pembroke Fiddle Festival continues to draw huge crowds from across the globe. Interestingly, the 1970’s witnessed a revival in fiddling tradition in rural areas of Canada. Many of the famous Canadian festivals were formed during this decade and among these was the Pembroke Fiddle Festival. Despite the continuing prominence of fiddlers within rural Canada, it remains quite clear that there are significantly fewer children who are learning the fiddle. There are a number of factors but I would centrally attribute the decreasing social role of playing live music within rural communities. The seemingly declining amount of parents that motivate their kids to learn the fiddle will most probably lead to a shortage of fiddlers once the older generations has passed on. Countless tunes and stylistic nuances will certainly be lost unless there is a changing perception about the importance of preserving the fiddle music of rural Canada.
Maybe some of the readers will think that the fiddling tradition will continue for generations to come. I wouldn’t rule that out of the realm of possible but I would argue that it would require a shift in attitude. I’ll now provide a personal anecdote, which I think demonstrates the declining popularity of the learning the fiddle. When I began high school over a decade ago I was set on learning a musical instrument. Everybody played instruments like the guitar and drums because it maintained a central role in the music that students were listening to. I thought that if I played something nobody else played that it would provide me with some sort of social distinction. I eventually began learning the fiddle and taking lessons in Pembroke. Even though I enjoyed playing popular jigs and reels it certainly wasn’t very favorable amongst my peers and I never met another student who played the fiddle. The rural tradition of fiddling seems quite clearly to have fallen out of favor with the younger generation. Many scholars have argued that once the older generation passes on that this tradition will wither away and die. It should be noted that this is a complex issue with more elements at play then just a declining interest with the younger generations. For example the increasing urban population might also be a factor in the diminishment of fiddling in rural Canada.
Despite this being a complex problem I would argue that there are available solutions which could ensure that the fiddling tradition in the Ottawa Valley continues to prosper. I believe this tradition can be preserved properly if parents start getting their kids interested in fiddling from an early age. This is not to say parents should force their kids to play music but instead should create an environment which fosters a healthy interest in music so that that the child can themselves make the decision to learn music. If you’re a parent, creating an environment that nurtures musical interest could mean listening to early recordings of fiddlers such as Winston Fitzgerald or attending as many live performances of fiddling as possible, such as the Pembroke Fiddle Festival this summer. This would encourage kids to learn the fiddle from an early age and ensure that this tradition could be maintained and possibly flourish. In turn, this would create a higher demand for music lessons and more paid performance opportunities for professional fiddlers. The revival of this tradition could also be supported by local businesses who should hire fiddlers to play at their local restaurants and events. The most important benefit that could occur from an increased popularity in learning the fiddle is that it would have a positive impact on the children who find the proper motivation to learn music. Learning a musical instrument, whether it be the fiddle or any other instrument, is a journey of self-discovery that fosters creativity and mindfulness in those who embark on the challenge.
