Unisa Press
INVISIBLE OR IGNORED
THE STATUS OF INDIGENOUS SOUTH AFRICAN INSTRUMENTS IN THE VENDA SOCIETY
| Author: | EVANS NTSHENGEDZENI NETSHIVHAMBE |
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| Published: | December 04, 2023 |
| ISBN: | 978-1-77615-155-4 |
| Number of pages: | 180 |
| This book is also available in electronic format | |
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| ISBN: | 978-1-77615-156-1 |
About the book
Education is the best method of sustaining the longevity of knowledge and musical education is no different. Amidst the quest for a decolonised education,many African scholars and academics find themselves between two difficult choices. Firstly, they are expected to slowly transition from a colonised to a decolonised curriculum in their teaching and learning, this tends to be a difficult choice because there is not enough existing decolonised content to use. Secondly, the challenge relates to content creation in universities and schools, specifically in terms of their ability to ‘decolonise’ education in the face of mounting pressure. The indigenous knowledge system is one of the most underdeveloped teaching and learning pedagogies, owing largely to its primary transmission from generation to generation through oral or aural means. This manner of knowledge sharing has had a significant impact on how such knowledge could be formally packaged for educational purposes. The author proposes solutions in the form of potential collective efforts among academics, scholars and indigenous African instrument practitioners, to work together to formalise the study and performance of these instruments at institutions of higher learning – where they were previously unable to find a place in existing teaching and learning conventions. This includes a dedicated focus on instrument-making as a priority to secure the future of indigenous African instruments. Specialists’ musicians, adept in playing indigenous African instruments should be engaged to solicit their technical skills in playing and performing with these instruments. Instrument makers should be approached for harnessing their knowledge of the physical creation of these instruments and how to pass on their knowledge to future musicians and instrument makers. By reviewing the neglected indigenous African music pedagogy, which focuses on the continued use of indigenous instruments, this book suggests possible ways of creating a standard convention for playing, learning and teaching these instruments.
Table of content
Preface vi
1 Introduction: The musician, music and society 1
2 The importance of indigenous African music education 28
3 Dende instrument – A Venda male bow instrument 53
4 Tshitiringo instrument – A Venda bamboo flute 94
5 Lugube instrument – A Venda jaw harp instrument 127
6 Tshihwana instrument – A Venda female bow instrument 152
7 Conclusion 177
Bibliography 180