Teaching Africa by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indiana University Press

On Appreciation and Dissemination

How does a teacher help students in the U.S. academy gain greater appreciation for African music or music in Africa? Students have become more cognizant of Africa as part of contemporary culture. Given the availability of media and technology, students should be encouraged to interview African music students and musicians online or in chat rooms. The dialogue invigorates class discussions. While generalizations do exist, national, ethnic, family, and individual musical preferences can be outlined through case studies. I have advocated for the presence of case studies on music in specific African countries or cultures in world music texts to be commensurate with counterpart chapters in other parts of the world.

Adequate literature is available on individual countries such as Ghana, with a focused study of the Ewe to demonstrate indigenous folk, classical, and popular music in historical and cultural contexts, with modern developments. Students can conduct group and individual research projects on African music to gain knowledge and also to dispel historical and popular myths and deconstruct stereotypes. They can then share their findings in oral and written presentations. It is possible to date performances, instruments, and people that were seminal in developing certain repertoire and instruments. Documentation on iconic figures and styles from the 20th century is now available, particularly on popular music figures. For example, Fela Kuti of Nigeria has been written about in various disciplines and has a sizable output of music that can be analyzed from historical, musicological, political, and cultural perspectives. Students can further interview Africans in the United States or even in Africa to discover their tastes, preferences, and opinions on music and musicians. While live interviews are most effective, the Internet’s social networks are an amazing resource.

While I involve students in ensemble performances, I also require them to attend concerts of indigenous, folkloristic, and contemporary fusions of African music. Of the groups that have performed under the auspices of the University of Georgia’s School of Music, one from Botswana deconstructed some prevalent myths. When the troupe visited the campus in 2004, I did not prepare the students in any way regarding what to expect. I wanted them to form a raw impression and then to follow up the concert with a report and discussion. The group had no instruments of any kind. The body generated intricate rhythms and dances. Anyone listening to the performance without seeing the performers assumed that the poly-rhythms heard were played on drums. Students were surprised that Khoisan groups from Botswana did not possess an indigenous drumming tradition. However, dancers clapped and stomped to create complex melodic and rhythmic relationships. Since these students from Botswana spoke English (the country was previously an English colony), students were able to interview several members of the troupe. At the end of the one-and-a-half-hour concert, the crowd refused to leave. Among the audience’s comments was the great wonder that one can enjoy a concert of African music that doesn’t involve the use of drums. Further connections were made with tap dancing

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