African Music Flashcards
What are the defining characteristics of African Music? (5)
Music-making events
Music plus other arts
Inter-mixing
Participation
Intuition rather than training
Elaborate on music making events.
Music happens in social settings where the primary goal is not art. The music is for something else- work, play, chores, partying, celebrating, mourning. Music adds to the event, it’s not the event. It can help focus peoples attention on the events, communicate information, encourage solidarity or a sense of togetherness etc.
Elaborate on music plus other arts.
Music can stand alone, but it often blends with drama, dance or poetry.
Elaborate on inter-mixing.
Just like everywhere else in the world, African people have imitated, transformed, rejected, adapted and assimilated external influences in the complex process of cultural change.
Elaborate on participation.
African music tends to invite participation from the audience - singing along, clapping, dancing/moving, not merely passive watching.
Elaborate on intuition rather than training.
A process by which you learn music/culture simply by growing up with it. You learn the rhythms, the songs and the patterns in childhood and are able to participate effectively almost by intuition rather than book-learning.
Where is a Beganna also known as Harp of David from?
Ethiopia/Eritrea
Where is a Mbira from?
Zimbabwe
Where is a Nyatiti from?
Kenya
Where is a Liquindi from?
Cameroon/Gabon
Where is a talking drum from?
West Africa
Where is a Balophon from?
Guinea
Where is a musical bow from?
South Africa
Which instrument is from Ethiopia/Eritrea?
Beganna also known as Harp of David
Which instrument is from Kenya?
Nyatiti
