ABSTRACT
Recalling memories from her childhood, the author paints the picture of a budding musical identity built around social musicking in religious and familial settings. The author then describes a musical metamorphosis from when she encountered school music. This chapter positions two music curricula side-by-side: a curriculum based on the author's native musical culture and an academic music curriculum based solely on Eurocentric standards. As much as music involvement can be of benefit, it can also be a trauma when approached in a way that is dismissive of students' backgrounds. The author describes her assimilation to academic music as colonization and therefore argues that music education sometimes functions as colonialism and creates sites within the body for possible traumas.
