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Ethnography and the Archive ETHNOGRAPHY AND THE ARCHIVE: POWER AND POLITICS IN FIVE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC ARCHIVES Lizabé Lambrechts Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch Department of Music Faculty of Humanities Promoter: Prof. Stephanus Muller December2012 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this thesis/dissertation, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Copyright © 2012 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract This study addresses issues concerning power and politics in five music archives in South Africa. It has a three-fold approach. First, it provides an overview of archival theory as it has developed since the French Revolution in 1789. It follows the trajectory of changing archival principles such as appraisal and provenance and provides an oversight into the changing understanding of ‘the archive’ as an impartial custodian of the Truth, to its conceptualisation in the Humanities as a concept deeply rooted in discourses around power, justice and knowledge production. Interrogating the unfolding concept of the archive throws into relief its current envisioned function within a post-Apartheid South Africa. Secondly, this dissertation explores five music archives in South Africa to investigate the level to which archival theory is engaged with and practiced in music archives. The archives in question are the International Library of African Music (ILAM), the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Radio and Sound Archive, the Gallo Record Archive, the Hidden Years Music Archive (HYMA) and the Documentation Centre for Music (DOMUS). This interrogation serves to illustrate how music archives take part in or subvert the power mechanisms inherent in archival practice. As such, this dissertation is situated within a body of scholarship that seeks to subvert the still prevailing consideration of the music archive as a neutral repository. Third, it investigates how a critical reading of music archives within a consideration of archival theory can add to our understanding of the practical realities of archives that firmly ground them as objects of power. iii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming Hierdie studie spreek vraagstukke aan rakende mag en politiek in vyf Suid-Afrikaanse musiekargiewe. Die studie volg ‘n drie-ledige benadering. Eerstens gee dit ‘n oorsig van argivale teorie soos wat dit ontwikkel het vanaf die Franse Revolusie in 1789. Dit volg die trajek van veranderende argivale grondslae soos waardebepaling en oorspronklike herkoms en gee ‘n oorsig van die veranderende begrip van ‘die argief’ as ‘n neutrale kurator van die Waarheid, tot by die konsepsualisering van die argief in die Geesteswetenskappe as ‘n konsep wat gegrond is in diskoerse van mag, geregtigheid en die produksie van kennis. Die ondersoek na die ontluikende konsep van die argief bring breër kwessies rondom die voorgestelde funksie daarvan in ‘n post-Apartheid Suid-Afrika na vore. Tweedens verken hierdie studie vyf musiekargiewe in Suid-Afrika om ondersoek in te stel na die vlak waartoe daar in gesprek getree word met argivale teorie asook die mate waartoe hierdie teorie toegepas word in musiekargiewe. Die betrokke argiewe is die International Library of African Music (ILAM), die Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaai Korporasie (SAUK) Radio en Klank Argief, die Gallo Record Argief, die Hidden Years Music Argief (HYMA) en die Dokumentasie Sentrum vir Musiek (DOMUS). Hierdie ondersoek illustreer hoe musiekargiewe in strukture van mag, inherent aan argiefpraktyk, deelneem of dit omverwerp. Dus staan die studie binne ’n vakkundige raamwerk wat daarna streef om die steeds heersende beskouing van die argief as ’n neutrale bewaarplek te ondermyn. Derdens ondersoek die studie maniere hoe ’n kritiese beskouing van musiekargiewe binne ’n raamwerk van argivale teorie kan bydra tot die verstaan van die praktiese realiteite van argiewe op ’n manier wat argiewe stewig begrond as objekte van mag. iv Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgements I am much indebted to the people who have helped and supported me to complete this project. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Stephanus Muller, my supervisor. The dedication and care he has taken with my scholarly work and the encouragement of my ideas is unsurpassed. He has been a great source of energy, inspiration and wisdom. This study would not have been possible without his guidance. A special thank you to Christine Lucia for readings of my work in various stages of its development. I am grateful for her invaluable comments and encouragement throughout this process. The language and style also benefited from her critical eye. I am grateful to my group of colleagues and friends at the University of Stellenbosch, especially Lize-Marie van der Watt, Mareli Stolp and Etienne Viviers, whose constant support, good humour and countless discussions about my ideas have been valuable to this research. Thank you to Etienne Viviers who has translated the abstract. Without the hospitality of all the archivists, directors and assistants who generously allowed me a glimpse into their world this study would not have been possible. In this regard my work owes much to especially Diane Thram, Elijah Madiba, Shiloh Marsh, Ilse Assmann, Bennie Jacobs, Thersia Francis, Refiloe Jele, Rob Allingham, David Marks, Stephanus Muller and Santie de Jongh. I was fortunate to have many good friends who have showed their support by delivering food, sending text messages, and taking me on long walks. This would have been a much more arduous journey without them. Research towards this dissertation was made possible with the generous support from the Graduate School and merit scholarship from the University of Stellenbosch. I should like to express special thanks to the African Doctoral Academy, Chantal Swartz and Rhodene Amos. Lastly, I would like to thank my brothers and parents for their support. Thank you for all the phone calls, surprise packages and constant encouragement. Thank you for walking with me all the way. v Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Table of contents Abstract iii Opsomming iv Acknowledgements v Table of contents vi List of figures x List of archival abbreviations xi Introduction 1. The importance of music archives 1 2. Notes on methodology 5 3. Structure and chapter outline 10 Part I: Archival theory and the archive 13 Chapter I: Archival theory and the archive: An overview 14 1.1. Introduction 14 1.2. The introduction of the principle of provenance 17 1.3. The ‘impartial’ archivist and the ‘authentic’ archive 20 1.4. The introduction of appraisal and selection 25 1.5. Archives in the service of society 30 1.6. From the physical to the conceptual 37 1.7. The post-custodial era 42 1.8. The archival turn: The archive and the humanities 46 1.9. Archives as social agents 54 1.10. The music archive 58 1.11. Conclusion 59 vi Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Part II: Five case studies on power and the music archive 61 Introduction: Ethnography in the archive 62 Reflection: 27 February 2011, Stellenbosch - Reflection upon returning from ILAM: The question of finding balance 68 Chapter 2: The International Library of African Music: The archive as a methodological conduit of power 69 2.1. Introduction 69 2.2. Hugh Tracey’s archive 73 2.3. Hugh Tracey’s recording technique 76 2.4. Classification and the Sound of Africa series 79 2.5. Codification and Textbook project 82 2.6. Staging the ‘Other’ archive 84 2.7. Conclusion 86 Fieldnote: 25 July 2011, Johannesburg – On the personal and subjective 88 Chapter 3: The Radio and Sound Archive of the South African Broadcasting Corporation: The ‘village story teller’ 89 3.1. Introduction 89 3.2. Short history of the SABC 92 3.3. The establishment of an official archive 94 3.4. Selection and appraisal in the SABC Radio and Sound Archive 99 3.5. Current selection of material pertaining specifically to music 104 3.6. Catalogue and classification 106 3.7. Conclusion 110 vii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Fieldnote: A few short journal extracts – Red tape and not finding what you are looking for 112 Chapter 4: The Gallo Record Archives: A tribute to steam trains 114 4.1. Introduction 114 4.2. The building of an empire 118 4.3. The formation of the Gallo Record Archive 122 4.4. Catalogue and index system 128 4.5. Archival value 131 4.6. Conclusion: An archive in suspense 133 Fieldnote: 24 February 2012, Melville Beach, KwaZulu-Natal – Hero worship 137 Chapter 5: The Hidden Years Music Archive: The permanence of loss 138 5.1. Introduction 138 5.2. History 142 5.2.1. The house that Master Jack built 143 5.3. The Hidden Years Music Archive 148 5.4. David Marks’s recording and collecting methods 151 5.5. Archival value 155 5.6. Archival system 157 5.6.1. The lists 162 5.7. Conclusion: the ‘not-Apartheid’ Archive 165 Reflection: 28 March 2012, Stellenbosch – A reflection on being biased 168 Chapter 6: The Documentation Centre for Music: An archive created out of crisis, envisioning the future 169 6.1. Introduction 169 6.2. The creation of DOMUS 172 viii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za 6.3. Collection policies 176 6.4. Sorting, cataloguing and digitisation 178 6.5. Projects 181 6.6. Frictions 186 6.7. Envisioning the future 189 6.7.1. Informing the discipline 190 6.7.2.
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