For those interested in music from the African Continent, it is worth noting that the that the African Music Vol 11,2 is now available online. Many of the articles in this edition first saw the light of day as papers presented at the ICTM Study Group on African Musics, held in Accra in August 2018. These articles include Michael Vercelli’s account of Bernard Woma (1966-2018), the virtuoso musician of Dagara music in Ghana; Jacqueline Dje Dje’s article on black Americans’ fiddling traditions in the Appalachian mountains; John-Doe Dorzdro’s pioneering research on brass bands in Ghana; Marie-Christine Parent’s article on the development and expression of the moutya from Seychelles, in relation to the sega from Mauritius and the maloya from Reunion; and, Fernando Palacio’s article on the religious music of the Afro-Esmeraldian people in Ecuador.
Other articles deal with Haul music in Western Sahara and Mauritania, in which Luis Gimenez Amoros argues that the mobility of the Haul modal system provides a reconsideration of a precolonial past in existing music cultures in sub-Saharan Africa. In considering the ongoing challenges of fieldwork, Moses Nii-Dorty’s article provides valuable insight into alternative possibilities for research methods. He puts forward the possibilities of eavesdropping as both research method and ethical practice. Finally, Afrikaans protest music has dominated the attention of South African music scholars, but Cornelius Holtzhausen provides another perspective in his essay on sokkie, an Afrikaans popular music style, that, up until now, has received less scholarly attention.
There are six reviews of books and a music album.
Readers are encouraged to visit the websites of the Dhow Countries Music Academy (DCMA) in Zanzibar and Phonotheque Historique de l’Ocean Indien (PHOI) in Reunion, ILAM’s new partners in the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Sporting events are more than moments of competition, national pride, and entertainment. They are economic activities that can stimulate tourism, create employment, support local businesses, and generate revenue across multiple sectors of the economy.
Umntwana womgquba a term traditionally used in the Nguni language that means “born out of wedlock,” but nowadays it is used to emphasise that one is born kwisintu. As lontwana, I look back on my own adventures: sometimes I pat myself on the back, and sometimes I wish I could redo them.
Each September, South Africa turns its attention to the rich cultural tapestry that defines our nation. Heritage Month is a time to honour the traditions, languages, histories, knowledge systems, customs and creative expressions that have been passed from generation to generation, while recognising that our heritage is not confined to the past.
My first encounter with heritage at the Mandela Bay Development Agency was, appropriately, somewhat uncomfortable. It began with cleaning. The Gale Monument, the Horse Memorial and the Queen Victoria statue became my first practical introduction to the business of preserving history.
