Musical education and resilience: A path to economic and emotional empowerment for rural children

Abstract

Objectives: (1) To identify the various factors that facilitate or hinder the development and consolidation of musical education for rural children; (2) to assess whether child harassment and bullying towards girls exists in a rural community; and (3) to analyze how the practice of music promotes a personal and economic empowerment —factors that facilitate resilience— among boys and girls.
Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative research methodology was used. The unit of analysis comprised the child population of the Tepexilotla community, located within the mesophilic cloud forest in the Altas Montañas region of Veracruz. The sample of children was self-selected and comprised the participants in a musical group project that started with flutes. Based on participant and anecdotal observation, four thematic axes were selected: (1) musical education, (2) child harassment and bullying, (3) resilience, and (4) child empowerment.
Results: Initially, 26 children participated —18 boys and eight girls. Boys had a larger learning territory because some girls suffered harassment and/or bullying by their classmates during lessons or on the way from home to school. This conduct led to a gradual drop-out among the girls in the group. After the departure of the music teacher, the presence and institutional accompaniment of the Colegio de Postgraduados strengthened group resilience through music master classes. Currently, most group members have become young independent musicians playing in different musical groups —an activity that enhances their economic, personal, and family
empowerment.
Study limitations/implications: The study was conducted only among the child population of a rural microregion;
it is not a quantitative study.
Findings/Conclusions: Gender characteristics as construed under the patriarchy have a detrimental influence on the musical education of girls. On the other hand, they benefit boys by replicating the private space for girls and the public one for boys. Hence, boys have more opportunities for formative education, while girls see their educational development prevented or limited, which harms their future female economic empowerment. However, rural musical training is a splendid educational resource that strengthens economic and cultural empowerment opportunities among rural children and youth.