African Music (East Africa) - Essay Example

? Music 31 January African Music (East Africa) African music is an art that can be traced way back before the colonial period and has developed to the modern music production, which has been influenced by technology, as well as African and western cultures. Africa is generally known to host numerous cultures due to the different language speaking populations, even after the influence of colonial languages (English and French). Countries like Nigeria have more than 500 languages; East Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya have approximately less than a total of 250 languages with identified speakers. These numerous languages come with their cultures in way of life and behavior. However, the dominant languages among them and their environment seem to influence the countries’ cultures and art. The highest percentage of the East African community comprises of Bantu speakers, majorly speaking in Swahili (in Kenya and Tanzania), Ganda in Uganda, and Kinyarwanda and Rundi in Rwanda and Burundi respectively. Swahili is spreading fast across the region, but English and French have increased in popularity among the societies. It has become easy for artists to compose music and poetry in these diverse languages to communicate with people in a much more familiar way; considering there are still native speakers who do not understand official languages of these countries. Vernacular influence in music: Existence of music in historic times in East Africa can be proven through the evidence of line figure rock art, which showed people playing musical instruments, at least as demonstrated by the rock paintings estimated to have existed over 30,000 years ago, in sites of lake Victoria, Sigindia, and Kondoa districts of Tanzania (Nannyonga-musuza and Solomon 34). In most rural areas, people speaking one language are densely populated in one area, while in cities and towns, the population comprises of people speaking different languages and from different cultural backgrounds. The same thing applies to East Africa, taking an example of Kenya; kikuyu is spoken highly in central Kenya, Kalenjin in the rift valley, Luo in the western parts around L. Victoria, and Cushitic languages on the north eastern part of the country. Kenya has moved ahead investing on media stations that relate to the people in their vernacular languages. The broadcasting stations communicate the messages from the news table and music in the same language. There are broadcasting stations which use official languages (English, Swahili, French, Ganda, Rundi, and Kinyarwanda) for general public communication, but would eventually promote the different cultures and languages in their music, to harmonize these cultures within the society. This promotes distinct peoples’ cultures and artistic works of poetry and music relating to similar issues that the language speakers deal with. Often, the native speakers and their cultures identify themselves by use of certain musical instruments. For example, Ramogi FM and Nam Lolwe FM broadcast in Luo language and the people would want to dance and sing to their musical genre, which uses instruments like nyatiti, traditionally called ‘thum,’ (an 8 stringed traditional instrument played with fingers or plectrum) (“Prof. Charles Nyakiti,”13). Most of the ethnic groups around Lake Victoria in Uganda and northern Tanzania use the instrument in traditional music and competition events. The common feature of nyatiti music dancers in East African region is dancing with pride, like an eagle, shaking limbs, shoulders, and fingers. Religion: Individual movements and community settlements in the past enhanced cultural adoption, growth of different faith, and conflicts in East Africa. Music and religion go hand in hand in any part of Africa. Christianity and Islamic religions have been dominant among others, and rely on music to lay out the history and teachings of the religions. During the pre-colonial period, Christianity spread fast in the main lands of East Africa, primarily in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania with the arrival of European missionaries, colluding most of the East African cultures. Along the coast, the Arab settlers were the majority, whose impact today is easily felt through the degree of Islamic faith in the Tanzanian and Kenyan coastlines. However, Islam has spread into the interior of the rest of the East African community with time. Basically, on their influence in music, the cultural Christian believers changed the western hymns in their own local way, as part of the Christian heritage which differentiates the music worship styles in the western and East African societies (King et al. 120). The incorporation of the communities’ dance, clapping, culture of dressing and languages, and other oral features produced a totally different gospel music. The merchants from Asia and Arabia had been trading in the coast regions for jewelry, silk, finery, brass, porcelain, and plates in exchange of ivory, animal skins, and copra from East Africa; a period that involved historical acts of slave trade across the continents (Nkurunziza 31). Some of the merchants settled in the costal regions, whose population growth implied a struggle for the competing cultures (Arabs/Indians and natives). It led to introduction of new cultures on dressing, marriage, religion, and language. Mosques were built and due to language alteration, the musical culture of the Swahili was changed. Besides the traditional African drums, the tabla (an indo-Pakistan drum), Ud (Arabian string) and matari entered into the Swahili culture. Eventually the tunes of Swahili songs were influenced by Indian and Arabic musical cultures, a flute being the development of the three cultures (Nkurunziza 31-32). The rhythms, tones, and some instruments are today felt in Taarab music of East Africa, common in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Costal Kenya. Examples of such musical pieces include ‘Nisalimia Mpenzi Kisha baada ya salamu mwambie walaumiwa’ and ‘Sitara Tambe Kwa Lopo’ by Juma Bhalo, known to be famous in Swahili songs of Taarab genre. The Burundi and Rwandan people have their traditional music relying on drum beats and unique dances of flying birds, used in religious and cultural events. In their social life, there are certain stages that have to be marked once an individual is aged enough. Events of birth, circumcision, baptism, marriage, death, and funerals are accompanied with songs that reflect the people’s emotions. It’s usually represented by animistic songs as the rites of passage and traditions are executed; these are highly intended to pacify the living dead. The Maasai communities are known to produce humming sounds, which are music as the young men and women carry out the rites of passages. Horns, flutes, pan pipes, and goblet drums are the common instruments for the community. The leading vocalist leads the group, who back up the vocal whether a hum or cultural song. Their songs are held in dancing styles, jumping up high with neck movements backward and forward in a rhythm (“Maasai music,” n.p.). Another community is the people of Bamasaba from Uganda, believed to be quite superstitious for practice the common Imbalu ritual festivals. The Bukusu of Uganda demonstrate the importance of circumcision music through their chanting rhythms, on the way to the circumcision ground (see ex.1).The cultural festival brings people together, the culture being coded in songs and taught to others as they sing and practice it. This puts the community’s welfare ahead of personal agendas. Example1. Chapter 4: The Context of Bukusu Circumcision Music from Wanyama. M. N.; “Example no. 4.1: Sioyaye”; up.ac.za, 2006; Web; 31, January 2013. Many of the East African communities practice circumcision, and similarly have their own composed songs that are used in such events. However, they vary in words due to different languages and religion, though containing similar messages about the events. Raids and invasions are part of the pastoralist communities’ historical activities, common along the margins of Southern Sudan and Kenya, and intense in Kenyan livestock rearing communities (Turkana, cushite speakers, kalenjin, and maasai) next to Somali, the Kuria of Tanzania, and karamoja of Northern Uganda. Such cases are minor in Rwanda and Burundi who are not known to be pastoralist intense areas. Livestock keeping is a major economic activity and has effectively affected the social and political areas of these countries. Such animal rustling and communities’ invasions leave behind enough damages, and claim lives as people try to defend their properties. The revenge activities have made the act to look like a tradition, while the fact is that it is not. Music has then been used to preach peace and contentment among the people, so as to lead a normal life without conflict. Through the drama festivals and entertainment, plays and songs with advices and teachings are played, which intern brings literacy and understanding to the young generation of such communities to avoid repeating the past. The music is also used to praise the warriors who defend their people and property in case of such invasions (see ex. 2), communicate messages of expected outcomes, and express their feelings on social issues. Generally, music has been embraced both as a language and way of life for the people, being influenced by different cultures. There are many instruments in use to define the people’s culture, communication, and convey their messages, which extends from cultural filulu, embaire, ntongooli, engingigi, endere, drums, and nyatiti among others, to modern guitars, keyboards, trumpets, xylophones, recordings (in CD, DVD), live bands, and current technological music production instruments. All these have contributed to the growth modern music, being influenced by the western and worldwide cultures and trends of globalization. Works Cited  King, R. R., and Kidula, J. N., Krabill, J. R., and Oduro T. Music in the Life of the African Church. Texas: Baylor University Press, 2008. Print. “Masan Music and Dancing.” n.d. Web. 31, January 2013. Musical, Dance, and Recreation. units.it. n.d. Web. 31 Jan 2013. Nannyonga-Tamusuza, S. A., and Solomon, T. (eds). Ethnomusicology in East Africa: Perspectives from Uganda and Beyond. Kampala: Fountain publishers, 2012. Print. Nkurunziza, J. d. l. P. Similarities and Differences between the Doctrines of Faith in Islam and Christianity. Munchen: GRIN Verlag Publishers, 2005. Print. “Prof. Charles Nyakiti Orawo.” ku.ac.ke. n.d. Web. 31, January 2013. Wanyama, M. N. “Chapter 4: The Context of Bukusu Circumcision Music.” 2006. Web. 31, January 2013< http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10182006-105355/unrestricted/04chapter4.pdf> Read More