DOCSLIB.ORG

1 Evaluating Shona Liturgical Music in Localised Practices of Inculturation Within the Catholic Mass in Zimbabwe Submitted by Cr

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
1 Evaluating Shona Liturgical Music in Localised Practices of Inculturation Within the Catholic Mass in Zimbabwe Submitted by Cr Evaluating Shona Liturgical Music in Localised Practices of Inculturation within the Catholic Mass in Zimbabwe Submitted by Crispinah Machingura Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Ethnomusicology) in the School of Arts, College of Humanities - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. November 2014 Supervisor: Doctor Sazi Dlamini 1 DEDICATION To God the Father our Lord Jesus Christ, be all glory, honour and praise through this work. Vana Vadiki VaMariya Musande, my dearest parents (Baba naMai Muketekesi), my brothers and sisters and all the Machingura grandchildren Nakeisha, Tanaka, Tinomudaishe, Chikomborero and Munashe, all for the love of you. i DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is my own original work. All citations, references, and borrowed ideas have been duly acknowledged. None of the present work has been previously submitted. Student name CRISPINAH MACHINGURA ………………………………………………………………… Date 14 NOVEMBER 2014 …………………………………………………. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am most grateful to God for His sustaining treasures of unending mercies that kept me alive when I needed them most. Among the people who assisted me, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Sazi Dlamini for his patience, academic prowess and unwavering mentorship. His keen interest in my work and encouragement were invaluable incentives towards the completion of this thesis. I am also indebted to the following people for their meaningful contribution to this study. A research project would never come to completion without information: I earnestly thank Prof David Dargie for directing me to invaluable literature about inculturation and Prof Andrew Tracey who also availed himself for interviews on Shona traditional music. I am also indebted of thankfulness to Br Clement Sithole and Mr Tendekai Kuture (Mhofu!) for sharing their musical experiences with me. To my interviewees: Mr Chaka Chawasarira (the inspiring indigenous hosho, marimba, dance and mbira guru), Mr John Kina Dzingai, Fr Joseph Lenherr for the enriching interviews, Fr Emmanuel Ribeiro, Simbi Mapurisa, Mrs Loveness Chawafambira, Ignatius Chabata and Mr Clemence Mudzinganyama Ndambakuwa, Fathers Kennedy Muguti, Wolfgang Thamm for giving me information about Ponde, Brian Enwright and Mabonga – I thank you all, without you I would not have completed my thesis. I also thank Bishop Xavier Munyongani and Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu for kindly availing themselves for short discussions with me, and for granting me access to the archives in their dioceses. Sr Bonifatia, Sr Sanyika and Sr Marcelline I know I intruded on your privacy and pockets, I thank you for the sacrifice. I am grateful to all parishioners for their willingness to participate. I am sincerely grateful especially to the parish priests for allowing me to conduct research in their parishes (Fr Walter Galahue and Fr James Chabuka who directed me to Chaka Chawasarira, alerted me about the Chawasarira mbiras, sometimes offered me his driver and transport during my research, and his assistants, Fr Regis Chikuni and Fr Joseph Mahlahla), and other church guardians for their permission to research. I also thank Mr Patrick Muginyi and Mr Adaareva; Parish Chairpersons - for directing me to those interviewees who are well experienced regarding my topic. iii My fellow colleague Innocent Mutero – thank you so much for kindly editing my videos. Rosaria Mwale, Edward Nhubu, Orela, Lynda, Sr Innocentia Mchunu, Sakile, Dumi muzukuru waChihera, Ephraim, Chikwama, Claudette, Lukas, Moyo, Mrs Mude, Jabulisile, Gumede , Kagiso, Basaini, Mlondis Auxilia and Imrigardis, Chips, Greg Adamson, Angela Chimbindi, Peter, Vimbai and Josephine Gbobgo – my dear friends, I salute you all. I also thank Professor Chimbari for his kindness. My friends in prayer and fasting, Angela, my sibling sisters and brothers; Chrispen, Claudia, Colleta, Callista, Angela, Opinion Kupara, Petty, Franciscans, Dominicans and Oblates I am grateful to you all – the prayers were powerful. Rev Doctor Moyo, I thank you for the advice and encouragement. Sekuru Tendai Gandanzara, makaita basa sekuru, for all your assistance and humour when I needed it most. I also thank anyone who helped me in any way whilst conducting this research when my father fell very sick and in a special way those who comforted me when I lost a friend, Sr Gertrude Sunduza, through a mysterious death during my research fieldwork. I would like to thank Great Zimbabwe University Staff Development Fellowship for awarding me the scholarship and opportunity to study in South Africa. Also, I extend my appreciation to the UKZN Howard College Music, Main Library staff for provision of all the required reading books and short postgraduate research courses. Special acknowledgements go to Vasu Chetty, Zondi Vesi at UKZN, Jescom especially Sr Tendai Makonese for the Mwari Ngaarumbidzwe video provided and SOCOM for providing me with the Life History of Stephen Magwa Ponde video. Special thanks go to my editor, for the professional services rendered. iv PREFACE This study evaluates practices of inculturation in the composition and performance of Shona liturgical music for the Catholic Mass in the parishes of St Theresa Seke and Glen Norah- Budiriro, which are both located in Harare, Zimbabwe. Whilst focusing on Shona liturgical songs and their performance as expressions of Shona culture, this research is premised on diversity in local interpretations of inculturation among the Shona Catholic subjects of this study. Chapter 1 introduces elements of the conceptual framework of the research topic, the research methodology and also presents the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Chapter 2 focuses on the interpretations of inculturation by the parishioners and local leadership, represented by bishops of the two local parishes under focus. In Chapter 2, only the bishops‟ and parishioners‟ interpretations are taken into consideration. Chapter 3 deals further with interpretations of inculturation by Shona composers and probes how this influences their approach to composition. Chapter 4 discussions are centred on the role of parishioners in the performance of Shona songs for the Mass, and also investigates the musical ramifications of differences between parishioners‟ and composers‟ views of the Shona culture in Shona liturgical songs. By focusing on musical instruments, dance and language both the composed and performed elements of Shona liturgical songs are investigated in terms of how they express the Shona culture, using pioneering and current examples of Shona liturgical compositions by important composers such as Stephen Magwa Ponde, Chaka Chawasarira, Nicholas Muchenu, and John Kina Dzingai. Chapter 5 presents a summary and conclusion to this thesis. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION........................................................................................................................... i DECLARATION...................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. iii PREFACE ................................................................................................................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................. viii LIST OF TRANSCRIPTIONS .............................................................................................. ix GLOSSARY OF TERMS ........................................................................................................ x MAPS ..................................................................................................................................... .xv CHAPTER 1: EVALUATING SHONA LITURGICAL MUSIC IN LOCALISED PRACTICES OF INCULTURATION WITHIN THE CATHOLIC MASS IN ZIMBABWE ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Location of study – the parishes and parishioners under focus........................................ 2 1.3 Significance of the study .................................................................................................. 3 1.4 The concept of inculturation and other theories framing this study ................................. 4 1.5 Further theories resonating with this study ...................................................................... 8 1.5.1 Post-colonial liturgies ................................................................................................ 8 1.5.2 Indigenous creativity ............................................................................................... 10 1.6 Research methodology ................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 2: LOCAL INTERPRETATIONS OF INCULTURATION ......................... 14 2.1 The concept of inculturation within the Roman Catholic hierarchy .............................. 14 2.2 Inculturation and the beginnings of Shona liturgical music ........................................... 16 2.3 The stages of
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mathematics in African History and Cultures
    Paulus Gerdes & Ahmed Djebbar MATHEMATICS IN AFRICAN HISTORY AND CULTURES: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY African Mathematical Union Commission on the History of Mathematics in Africa (AMUCHMA) Mathematics in African History and Cultures Second edition, 2007 First edition: African Mathematical Union, Cape Town, South Africa, 2004 ISBN: 978-1-4303-1537-7 Published by Lulu. Copyright © 2007 by Paulus Gerdes & Ahmed Djebbar Authors Paulus Gerdes Research Centre for Mathematics, Culture and Education, C.P. 915, Maputo, Mozambique E-mail: pgerdes@virconn.com Ahmed Djebbar Département de mathématiques, Bt. M 2, Université de Lille 1, 59655 Villeneuve D’Asq Cedex, France E-mail: ahmed.djebbar@math.univ-lille1.fr, Ahmed.Djebbar@wanadoo.fr Cover design inspired by a pattern on a mat woven in the 19th century by a Yombe woman from the Lower Congo area (Cf. GER-04b, p. 96). 2 Table of contents page Preface by the President of the African 7 Mathematical Union (Prof. Jan Persens) Introduction 9 Introduction to the new edition 14 Bibliography A 15 B 43 C 65 D 77 E 105 F 115 G 121 H 162 I 173 J 179 K 182 L 194 M 207 N 223 O 228 P 234 R 241 S 252 T 274 U 281 V 283 3 Mathematics in African History and Cultures page W 290 Y 296 Z 298 Appendices 1 On mathematicians of African descent / 307 Diaspora 2 Publications by Africans on the History of 313 Mathematics outside Africa (including reviews of these publications) 3 On Time-reckoning and Astronomy in 317 African History and Cultures 4 String figures in Africa 338 5 Examples of other Mathematical Books and 343
    [Show full text]
  • Archiving the Cultural Legayc of Mbira Dzavadzimu in the Context of Kuriva Guva and Dandaro Practices
    ARCHIVING THE CULTURAL LEGAYC OF MBIRA DZAVADZIMU IN THE CONTEXT OF KURIVA GUVA AND DANDARO PRACTICES By Perminus Matiure A Thesis submitted to The University of KwaZulu-Natal in fulfilment of the requirement of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Sciences School of Music November 2013 Supervisor: Dr Patricia Opondo ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am grateful to all participants who provided both data and archival materials for this study. Members from Hwedza District and Gweru urban provided very valuable information which made this thesis a success, I thank them all. I give special thanks to Tichaedza Mauraya, Reverend Basera and Muhwati Chinyanga, who were the major consultants of this study. I would like to extend my profound gratitude to the various mbira ensembles that managed to participate during mbira shows. These include Maungira Enharira, Mhembero Mbira Ensemble, Dzimbabwe Mbira Ensemble, Ras Diva Mbira Ensemble, Senga Primary School, Cecil John Rhodes, Thornhill and United College of Education. Particular mention goes to Mbira Dzenharira for being support in both the Mbira Conference and the Mbira Symposium. I also thank members of the Department of Music and Musicology for supporting me during my research especially members of Zvirimudeze Mbira Ensemble. Not forgetting the Research board of University of Kwa-Zulu Natal and Midlands State University for the unwavering financial support they provided. My supervisor, Dr Patricia Opondo is a supervisor of a class of her own. Her professional wisdom, integrity, collegial and motherly attitude made consultations and supervision easy. I also would like to thank colleagues who provided me with courage and advice who include Sailas Mangwende, Dr Jerry Rutsate, Dr Sheasby Matiure, Richard Muranda and Claudio Chipendo.
    [Show full text]
  • Sustaining Afrocentric Spiritual Jazz in 21St Century Chicago
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2016 Sacred Freedom: Sustaining Afrocentric Spiritual Jazz in 21St Century Chicago Adam Zanolini The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1617 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: AcademicWorks@cuny.edu SACRED FREEDOM: SUSTAINING AFROCENTRIC SPIRITUAL JAZZ IN 21ST CENTURY CHICAGO by ADAM ZANOLINI A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2016 © 2016 ADAM ZANOLINI All Rights Reserved ii Sacred Freedom: Sustaining Afrocentric Spiritual Jazz in 21st Century Chicago by Adam Zanolini This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Music in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _________________ __________________________________________ DATE David Grubbs Chair of Examining Committee _________________ __________________________________________ DATE Norman Carey Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: _________________ __________________________________________ DATE Jeffrey Taylor _________________ __________________________________________ DATE Fred Moten _________________ __________________________________________ DATE Michele Wallace iii ABSTRACT Sacred Freedom: Sustaining Afrocentric Spiritual Jazz in 21st Century Chicago by Adam Zanolini Advisor: Jeffrey Taylor This dissertation explores the historical and ideological headwaters of a certain form of Great Black Music that I call Afrocentric spiritual jazz in Chicago. However, that label is quickly expended as the work begins by examining the resistance of these Black musicians to any label.
    [Show full text]
  • African Music Vol 5 No 4(Seb)
    130 AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL MUSIC AND SPIRIT POSSESSION AT A SHONA BIRA by PAUL BERLINER During the year 1971-72 and the summers of 1974 and 1975, in which I carried out field research in Rhodesia1 on mbira music, I had the opportunity to attend as an observer and, at times, as a performer,2 over thirty spirit possession ceremonies held by members of the traditionalist segment of Shona culture. At these events villagers participate with tremendous energy and the intensity of their music is deeply moving. In this article, my aim is to describe the purpose underlying Shona spirit possession ceremonies as well as the nature of the music and the interaction among participants at these events. A. Misfortune and traditional Shona religious belief It is a basic belief in traditional Shona religion that after people die, their spirits continue to look after and to affect. the lives of their progeny. The workings of the world of the living are seen to be a function of the workings of the spirit world. In the traditional Shona view, then, a person's fortune and fate in the world are to some extent the result of an interplay of forces outside of the person's own control. If, for instance, individuals within a family remember their ancestors and honor their values, the spirits will look after the family and offer protection (Gelfand, 1962:52). If, however, a person forgets or dishonors departed ancestors, they can withdraw their support. This leaves an individual vulnerable to the forces of the mischievous and belligerent spirits and witches.
    [Show full text]
  • C Zim Intro for Website
    Introduction The Study of Zimbabwean Music by Zimbabwean Scholars Luis Gimenez Amoros This book provides a transdisciplinary approach to Zimbabwean music by Zimbabwean scholars. It not only covers aspects of Zimbabwean music from a musicological point of view, but also opens up a wide range of subjects of broad academic interest in Africa and elsewhere. Themes of interest include music and land reform; nationalism in relation to musical culture in Zimbabwe; music with regard to the youth (such as dancehall music); the use of gospel music for religious and political purposes; the interrelation of specific types of music (for instance, mbira) in rural and urban spaces; the relationship between people living across borders (for instance, Shona-speakers along the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique); current understandings of the liberation struggles since 1980; historical approaches to Zimbabwean music during colonial times; and music and gender. The importance of a transdisciplinary study on Zimbabwean music This book aims to provide a solid foundation for future studies on Zimbabwean music, either historically (in the precolonial and colonial eras) or in the contemporary (postcolonial) period. Departing from a purely musicological perspective, this book also analyses the different musical realities in the Zimbabwean musical culture, such as Zimdancehall, mbira, sungura and chimurenga. Furthermore, it provides a study of the functionality of traditional dances such as chinyambera, jichi and xinombela in both a traditional and a contemporary context. Sociologically, these musical cultures in Zimbabwe reflect the political and economic texts in which music is produced, including the consumption patterns of music distributed through official, public and private dissident circuits, as Maurice Vambe mentioned during the editing of this book.
    [Show full text]
  • The System of the Mbira
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Rhodes University: Hosted Journals THE SYSTEM OF THE MBIRA by ANDREW TRACEY This is a re-edited and updated version o f the paper presented at the 7th Symposium on Ethnomusicology (Venda University) in 1988, published by ILAM in “Papers presented at the 7th and 8th Symposiums in Ethnomusicology” (1989). It is reproduced here because o f the worldwide interest which has developed in mbira and its system in recent decades. Going up by road to Zimbabwe, I always start to get a thrill of excitement when I get up into the Soutpansberg and look down towards the Limpopo. Not only does the country start to look like Zimbabwe, with the baobab trees, and the Venda language which sounds half Shona, but this is the start of MBIRA COUNTRY. It is the southern boundary of an enormous stretch of Africa from here to the Zambezi and beyond, covering parts of at least seven countries—northern South Africa, eastern Zimbabwe, central and southern Mozambique, southern Malawi, parts of Botswana, Namibia, Angola and possibly further. In short it could be described as the Zambezi basin. Here is where exists a system of music with its own rules, uniquely African, extraordinarily consistent, wonderfully expressive. The system appears in song and in many instruments, but the key is the mbira.1 I discovered mbira through my father, Hugh Tracey. It was his favourite instrument. He first heard a njari mbira in about 1921 when he arrived as a boy among the Shona/ Karanga at Willand Farm, Gutu, near the modern Masvingo.
    [Show full text]
  • Third Coast Percussion February 2 at 7:30 P.M
    DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Presenting Series THIRD COAST PERCUSSION FEBRUARY 2 AT 7:30 P.M. PATRICIA GEORGE DECIO THEATRE University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana Third Coast Percussion at Notre Dame made possible through the generosity of Shari and Tom Crotty. Made possible by the Gayle A. and Steven C. Francis Endowment for Excellence in Creativity. This presentation is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Indiana Arts Commission and the Crane Group. Visit Sorin’s or Rohr’s at Morris Inn for a front row seat to a culinary performance, where dinner is always the star of the show. Morris Inn is proud to partner with the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. OFFICIAL HOTEL OF DEBARTOLO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 130 MORRIS INN // NOTRE DAME, IN 46556 // 574.631.2000 // MORRISINN.ND.EDU THIRD COAST PERCUSSION Sean Connors | Robert Dillon | Peter Martin | David Skidmore “Paddle to the Sea” “Madeira” * Philip Glass (b.1937)/arr. Third Coast Percussion “Crystalline” ^ Jacob Druckman (1928-1996) Paddle to the Sea, Act 1 Third Coast Percussion “Amazon” * Glass/arr. TCP “Relentless” ^ Druckman Paddle to the Sea, Act 2 Third Coast Percussion “Profound” ^ Druckman “Xingu” * Glass/arr. TCP Paddle to the Sea, Act 3 Third Coast Percussion “Fleet” ^ Druckman Paddle to the Sea, Coda Third Coast Percussion Chigwaya raditional/arr. Musekiwa Chingodza and TCP *- from Aguas da Amazonia ^- from Reflections on the Nature of Water for solo marimba “Paddle to the Sea” ©1966 National Film Board of Canada Music Performed by Third Coast Percussion Stage Direction by Leslie Buxbaum Danzig Lighting and Video Design by Joseph Burke WSBT–TV is the official media sponsor Express Press Incorporated supports Visiting artist accommodations of the 2017–2018 Presenting Series.
    [Show full text]
  • Thomas Mapfumo and the Popularization of Shona Mbira
    8 4 JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY OF AFRICAN MUSIC THOMAS MAPFUMO AND THE POPULARIZATION OF SHONA MBIRA by BANNING EYRE I had an uncle on my father’s side who would play m bira after drinking. He would start out slowly and quietly, very introspective. But as he picked up emotion, he would become animated, even aggressive, until he’d crash the d eze [gourd] — actually break it—and he would cry at the end of it all. They’d say it was because he had reconnected with the ancestors, and the world of the living became an obstruction, an impediment to full sublimation of his spirit and emotion. Because he was flesh, he could not be free of flesh. Hence the violence (Musa Zimunya). Introduction The music of Thomas Mapfumo is frequently described as a pop adaptation of traditional m bira music, the ancient ceremonial performance art of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. While this is an oversimplification of Mapfumo’s varied repertoire, mbira is an important, perhaps the most important, aspect of the artist’s work. My book, Lion Songs: Thomas Mapfumo and the Music That Made Zimbabwe (2015) interweaves Zimbabwean history with the biography and music of this under-recognized African innovator, composer, and bandleader.1 This article, adapted from the Lion Songs manuscript, attempts to clarify Thomas’s role first in helping to revive the status of mbira music in his own country, and then in developing an audience for it internationally. Thomas Mapfumo is not a traditional musician. He does not play mbira himself, though he grew up hearing it in rural settings while being raised by his grandparents up until the age of ten.
    [Show full text]
  • Zimbabwean Mbira Music and Modern Spirituality in the Western United States
    Zimbabwean Mbira Music and Modern Spirituality in the Western United States Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By James Daniel Lindroth, BM Graduate Program in Music The Ohio State University 2018 Thesis Committee: Ryan Skinner, Adviser Isaac Weiner Michelle Wibbelsman Copyright by James Daniel Lindroth 2018 Abstract Zimbabwean music found its way to the Western United States through a visiting artist in the ethnomusicology department at University of Washington in the 1960s. In this paper, I look at some of the consequential musical practices that have spread throughout the United States since then. More specifically, I look the mbira dzavadzimu, a lamellophone from the Shona people of Zimbabwe, and the role its music has taken on within the North American Zimbabwean music community. I examine the ways the music also fits within movements of modern spirituality, defined by the borrowing of foreign practices as a means of accessing “spiritual experiences.” I trace a history of the instrument through the United States, as well as the spread and attention to it within both the North American musicking community and scholarship. I then describe the “spiritual” felt by mbira players and how the sociality inherent to the performance of the instrument helps define said spiritual experiences. Finally, I describe the practices of American mbira players and the ways engaging with the music authentically allows them access to heightened affective states. This document serves the purpose of showing the ways mbira dzavadzimu is positioned within modern spirituality and the idiosyncrasies of mbira performance as a spiritual practice.
    [Show full text]
  • Singing Culture a Study of Gospel Music in Zimbabwe
    Research Report No. 121 Ezra Chitando Singing culture A Study of Gospel Music in Zimbabwe Nordiska Afrikainstitutet Uppsala 2002 Indexing terms Zimbabwe Music Cristianity Culture Language checking: Elaine Almén ISSN 1104-8425 ISBN 91-7106-494-X © the author and Nordiska Afrikainstitutet 2002 Printed in Sweden by Elanders Digitaltryck AB, Göteborg 2002 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................5 1.1 The Research Questions...............................................................................................6 1.2 Gospel Music in Zimbabwe: An Overview ..........................................................7 1.3 Study Layout ...................................................................................................................8 2. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK AND INTERPRETATIVE TECHNIQUES .....................................................................................................................10 2.1 Approaches to the Study of Religious Penomena............................................10 2.2 Studying gospel Music in Zimbabwe: Methodological Considerations ..10 2.3 Gospel Music: Definitional Issues..........................................................................13 2.4 The Data and Its Collection......................................................................................15 2.5 Limitations of Data and Sources.............................................................................17 2.6 Summary.........................................................................................................................19
    [Show full text]
  • Duduzile Sakhelene Ndlovu a Thesis Submitted to the Faculty Of
    “LET ME TELL MY OWN STORY”: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF HOW AND WHY ‘VICTIMS’ REMEMBER GUKURAHUNDI IN JOHANNESBURG TODAY. Duduzile Sakhelene Ndlovu A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 03 February 2017 DECLARATION I declare that this dissertation is my own unaided work. It is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. It has not been submitted before for any degree or examination in any other university _____________________________ Duduzile Sakhelene Ndlovu Abstract1 This study is about the ways Gukurahundi memory is invoked by Zimbabwean migrants living in Johannesburg, South Africa. The research focused on inner city Johannesburg residents who are actively speaking about the Gukurahundi. Participants were drawn from three main migrant groups; Zimbabwe Action Movement, Mthwakazi Liberation Front and Ithemba leSizwe. Two artworks produced to document the atrocities; a film, The Tunnel, written and produced by an ‘outsider’ white South African filmmaker and music, Inkulu lendaba, written and performed by victims of the violence, were used as case studies; to answer questions about the meaning, role and appropriate form for remembering Gukurahundi in Johannesburg today. The Tunnel has enjoyed a global audience whereas Inkulu lendaba, remains within the victims’ locality. Findings of this study are drawn from participant observation of victims’ community events, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and, an analysis and comparison of the artworks and their reception by victims. One of the key findings of this study focusing on contestation over how a history is narrated is that translation plays a significant role in maintaining global inequality and continuing forms of colonialism.
    [Show full text]
  • Third Coast Percussion Sean Connors Robert Dillon Peter Martin David Skidmore
    Third Coast Percussion Sean Connors Robert Dillon Peter Martin David Skidmore “Paddle to the Sea” PROGRAM NOTES Tonight’s performance includes music composed collaboratively by the members of Third Coast Percussion, interwoven with pre-existing music by American composers Philip Glass (arranged by Third Coast) and Jacob Druckman, and traditional music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. The music composed by Third Coast Percussion accompanies the 1966 film Paddle to the Sea. The other works are performed with newly created video art by Joseph Burke. “Please Put Me Back in the Water” The protagonist of Holling C. Holling’s 1941 children’s book Paddle-to-the-Sea is a small wooden figure in a canoe, lovingly carved by a Native Canadian boy. From the Nipigon Country north of Lake Superior, the figure travels for years through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway out to the Atlantic Ocean and beyond, encountering a variety of people, creatures, and environments along the way. Indeed, these encounters make the long journey possible—rather than keeping “Paddle” for themselves, those who find the figurine choose to send him further along the waterways, perhaps with a fresh coat of paint or a new rudder. In building a performance project around this story, the four members of Third Coast Percussion composed music together as a team to perform live with the 1966 film adaptation of Paddle-to-the-Sea — music inspired by, and interspersed with, other music that bears thematic connections to water. This other music represents different aspects of our own musical journeys and places us in the role of musical stewards, adding what we can to each work and sending it out again into the world for others to experience.
    [Show full text]