West Africa and Music Woohoo! Spring 2014. A little Background… Did you know that Africa is the second largest continent in the world? With over 1,000.

West Africa and Music Woohoo!

Spring 2014

A little Background…

• Did you know that Africa is the second largest continent in the world? With over 1,000 languages spoken among its people? How in the world can 1,000 languages possibly coexist within one continent?

• I’ll tell you…

THROUGH MUSIC!!• African music has been

passed down for centuries!

• Before it was written down on scores, it was sung, danced, and acted out!

• Music is sometimes the only connection that people who speak different languages have… music conveys their expressions.

Music is used for EVERYTHING

• Music in Africa is used in just about every event you could think of!

• Naming ceremonies• Child rearing practices• Initiations• Agricultural activities• War times• Religious ceremonies• funerals

Some Culture

• Music is the most important part of African culture.

• Some scholars say that music is the center of their culture.

• Africa is very rich in culture. Not many schools practice traditional dancing, but theirs do! (use traditional music and dance practice in daily school routine).

Africa’s influence on the WORLD!

• Made Jazz popular (Through trade)• Diaries found explaining musical accounts of Africa and their

culture• During slavery they brought in their own “Rhythmic genius”

and love of harmonies and “colored music”• Reggae, blues, hip-hop, rap…

So Let Us Wrap Up…

• Now that you are sufficiently brought up to speed on the culture of West Africa and its music, you are ready to learn about polyrhythm and drum circles!

Bibliography• Dargie David (1992) Musical Practices of the Xhosa People, David Phillips, Cape

Town South Africa.• Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2001)• Lalendle Luvuyo Lumkile (1988) "Music Education in South Africa in and out of

school," Iowa Music Educators Journal, vol 42, No 2., University of Iowa, Iowa city, USA.

• Ndlovu Ceaser (1991) Transcription of African Music, Unpublished paper presented at the African Music conference at the University of Venda, South Africa.

• Senoga-Zake George W.(1986) Folk music in Kenya, Act printing Ltd. Nairobi, Kenya.Shiloah, Amnon (1995) Music in the World of Islam: A Socio-cultural Study, Wayne State University Press. Detroit.

• Stone, Ruth (1998) Africa, The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Garland Publishing, INC. New York. Stone (1982)

• Impey Angela (1998) "Popular Music in Africa" in Stone Ruth (ed) The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, GarlandPublishing, INC. New York.