African Music, Dance, and Storytelling

Introduction

• Music, dance, and storytelling are integral to everyday life in Africa.
• Used for communication of messages, community bonding, and life lessons.

The Role of Griots

• In West Africa, griots (or jalis) are custodians of tradition and culture.
• They spread heritage and messages of their ethnic groups through music and song.
• Use of proverbs and life lessons in their storytelling.

Music in Ceremonies

• Music marks significant life events (birth, baptism, coming of age, weddings, funerals).
• Specific rhythms are used for specific ceremonies.

Music and Survival

• Music is integrated into everyday life activities such as harvests and rain ceremonies.
• Harvest festivals involve traditional dances with ornate masks.

Religious and Spiritual Beliefs

• Music is intertwined with religious beliefs, including animism, Islam, and Christianity.
• Animism remains strong in some areas, with traditional rhythms known as 'fetish rhythms'.

Tradition and Lineage

• Musical traditions are passed down generations, similar to trades in Western culture.
• Griots pass down music through bloodline and lineage.

Instruments in African Music

• Percussive instruments, especially drums, are central.
• Different ethnic groups have unique drum styles and rhythms.
• Notable drums include:
  • Senegalese Sabar drumming
  • Talking drum (Tama)
  • Djembe, prominent in francophone countries.
• Vocal music with harmonies is significant (e.g., Ghana and South Africa).
• Stringed instruments and others like balafon, thumb piano, flute, and reed pipes.

Influence of Western Music

• Western instruments like guitars and horns have been integrated.
• Western music influenced by African music (e.g., jazz and blues origins traced to African diaspora).

Rhythm and Time Perception

• African rhythms often use circular time and offbeat dominance.
• Different from Western "downbeat" music.

Hybrid Musical Styles

• Fusion of traditional African music with other global styles.
• Examples include Afrobeat by Fela Kuti and hip-life in Ghana.

Contemporary African Music

• Continues to evolve with new instruments and technology.
• Maintains deep cultural roots and remains central to life.

Conclusion

• African music is diverse and continuously adapting.
• Holds a significant place in cultural and social practices.